I Thought I was Heartbroken
by SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl
Summary: Ino thought she was heartbroken. She talks to Shikamaru and learns more than she expected about love and heartbreaks. Shikaino Oneshot collection now.
1. I thought I was Heartbroken

**If this isn't that good, forgive me. I did this while listening to music and plus, I'm not so good with oneshots. Anyway, hope you like it. If you don't, don't be too brutal.**

**I Thought I Was Heartbroken**

Shikamaru went to his favorite cloud-watching spot, looking for a relaxing day and he was very comfortable until he heard the sobbing. He looked around and saw Ino, her knees to her chest and her head between her knees. He walked towards her. Though he thought it was troublesome, he decided to help her. He never saw her cry and he didn't like seeing Ino like this.

"Ino," he called gently as he sat down beside her. She jumped slightly and tried in vain to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked lamely, giving up on drying her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Shikamaru asked, pulling her towards him into a small hug. She started sobbing more into his shoulder.

"I-I saw S-Sasuke-kun and forehead g-girl...together...kissing," Ino finished sadly.

"Oh," Shikamaru said, not really knowing what to say.

"Oh? That's all you have to say! Why can't you be more comforting. I just basically got my heart broken!" Ino screamed.

"No," Shikamaru said. She looked at him. "You didn't get your heart broken."

"W-"

"You didn't really love Sasuke. He's not right for you," Shikamaru saying, once again lying down, knowing she wasn't leaving any time soon.

"Who are you to say that I didn't love Sasuke-kun?" Ino said, exploding in his face.

"Why'd you say 'didn't' as if you don't anymore?" Shikamaru asked. And before she could reply, "He's not meant for you, Ino. You deserve somebody better. So much better. You need someone who understands you and who's your friend. Who actually knows how to comfort you. Sasuke was never a friend to you. You know you need someone who actually listens to you and who knows you and who doesn't have expectations for you. Sasuke might love Sakura but she'll always feel like she has to live up to a certain standard. You should be with someone who doesn't care about how strong you are, just so long as you're you."

And Ino just sat there, looking at him. He sat up and turned to face her.

"Ino, were you listening? ...Fine, I'm sorry I said that, Ino. I didn't mean to insult Sasuke-_kun_," His tone was bitter at the end.

"Shikamaru...thank you. I guess I really didn't love Sasuke. I guess it was just-"

"To make Sakura upset since you liked him in the beginning but knew that you had lost the overall battle. You felt jealous so you basically just decided to pretend you liked Sasuke so you would n't have to face the reality of defeat," Shikamaru continued. "Troublesome, stubborn girl."

"Yeah...I was just in denial, crying for nothing," Ino said. "I thought I was heartbroken."

"Yes, I know what it really feels like to be heartbroken," Shikamaru said. She looked at him disbelieving.

"I think you're lying."

"Why would I?" he snapped. Then in a gentler tone, "I do know what it's like. It wasn't just a little meaningless crush like yours. I loved her, but she never saw it. She was just too blinded by the other boy. And I saw that she liked somone else so I didn't tell her because...I was too afraid of rejection."

"I'm sorry, Shikamaru," she said sincerely.

He looked over at her and shook his head. Even when he described the situation, she still didn't get it. And it was too troublesome to tell her. She might still reject him. But...what if she didn't? He should tell her. There was nothing to lose...but there was a lot to gain. Humiliation, heartbreak, and the list goes on. No, he decided. Plus, why would she love him? A lazy ninja who's always calling everything troublesome, never doing anything except sleeping or watching clouds.

As Shikamaru was deep in his thoughts, Ino was wrapped up in her own.

_He knows me so well, _Ino glanced over at Shikamaru. _How does he understand me like that? He would make a great boyfriend...and he's not bad looking either. He's actually cute. If anything, he should be the boy I loved... Wait! Why did I just think that!? Could I have... loved him? Could it have been him all along but I just didn't notice because I was too blinded with Sasuke and making Sakura jealous? But...now it's too late. Even if I did realize I love him and even if I tell him...he'll still love someone...else. Probably that Temari girl. Why'd she have to come to Konoha? But...I can't really blame it on her since I had Shikamaru long before they came. I could've had my chance then but no! I had to be stupid and blinded and distracted._

Another few tears ran down Ino's cheek, but she didn't bother to wipe them. She just stared down at the ground, looking at a blade of grass she was tugging at. Meanwhile, Shikamaru was staring at the sun that was starting to set in front of them. He looked over at Ino and stared in shock as he watched her cry silently, staring at the ground.

Ino's eyes widened as she felt Shikamaru's arms encircle her waist and bring her closer to him. She looked over at him and saw him smile softly.

"Why are you sad now? Don't cry. I don't like seeing you like this," he said quietly.

She blushed and nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Then without really thinking, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. When she felt him respond and his arms tighten around her waist, she wrapped her own around his neck, deepening the kiss. They broke apart, staring into each other's eyes. She was the first to speak.

"Shikamaru, I just now realized that...I'm in love with you," Ino said softly. Shikamaru smiled and kissed her again.

"I'm in love with you too," he said.

"But what about the other girl?" she asked, still not getting what he said earlier.

"Troublesome...Ino, the girl was you," he said.

"Oh, I thou-"

Ino was cut off as Shikamaru claimed her lips again, pulling her even closer. She buried her hands in his hair, taking it out of his usual ponytail and knocked him to the ground, them still kissing. They finally stopped for breath and she smiled at him again. She rested her head on his chest as he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner. I made you wait all that time," Ino said softly, looking at a few flowers blowing in the breeze.

"It's okay. We're together now so nothing matters anymore," he said quietly, still stroking her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**And that's the end. Hope you liked it. I think it turned out well. Tell me if you think I should make this into a collection of oneshots.**


	2. Intoxicating

**Hey, I decided to try and do a collection. Hope this is alright.**

**Intoxicating**

"Hey Shika," Ino called to the lazy boy.

They were currently watching the clouds go by in his favorite spot. Shikamaru was laying down and Ino was sitting beside him, holding her knees to her chest.

"Hm?" He looked over at her. She was smelling a flower she held in her hand.

"Do you think everybody has a smell? You know something that smells good and you can tell its that person when you get close?"

"Well...yeah. How else do you think dogs can smell a certain person and know it's them?" He asked.

"Yeah," Ino agreed. They lasped into a peaceful silence again.

"Hey Shika," Ino called again. He rolled his eyes and looked over at the talkative girl.

"Yes Ino," he sighed. She laid down to be at his level and faced him.

"What do you think I smell like?"

_Does she realize how odd this conversation is? _he thought.

"I don't know. Something tangy, but sweet. Also, like its mixed with something, " he said. _You're intoxicating- wait, where did that come from?"_

"But...what?" she asked.

"Um...lemons and...something. Pear or some exotic flower," Shikamaru said.

"Oh, okay. Hey, I think you're a...warm smell."

"That's not a smell."

"Well, you have a very unique scent. It's a warm, rich smell mixed with something like grass," she said, then shrugged. "I don't know."

"Grass?" he asked incredulousy, sitting up and looking at her.

"I mean a nice, calming smell that's fresh and kind of sweet but also...well you know like I said before. Warm and rich," she said.

"Hm," he lay back again.

_...It also makes me think of love, _she thought. _Wait- what?! Why did I say that?_

They glanced at each other at exactly the same time but turned away, dwelling in their own thoughts about each other and smells now. Ino was thinking about Shikamaru and his personality and how his unique scent related to his personality.

"I bet you smell like grass because you're always laying down," Ino said after a long time. "And I smell sweet because I work with flowers."

"..." Shikamaru had fallen asleep.

"Shika..." Ino poked him. "Shika."

_How do you just fall asleep like that?! _she glared at the sleeping boy. He breathed in softly and turned to the side. Her gaze softened. _But he's cute when he sleeps. Actually, he's cute all the time...and nice and sweet and he's a really good, understanding friend. And now I'm rambling on about Shika...Do I like him? If someone had even suggested that, I would've probably knocked them out. But now... now it doesn't seem like such a crazy idea._

Her eyes studied his sleeping face and then fell on his lips. She licked hers involuntarily.

"I wonder what would happen if I gave him a kiss," she wondered aloud. She moved so she was over him.

"One little kiss couldn't hurt," she leaned forward until her face hovered over his. She took one last breath and let it out. His eyes opened. Hers eyes widened in surprise. Then she closed them and kissed him anyway. He kissed her back and pulled her towards him. She landed on him and wrapped her arms around his neck. They broke apart.

"What'd you do that for?" Shikamaru breathed out.

"You know you liked it," she teased, also breathless. "I guess I did it because you were so...intoxicating."

"Hey...that's my line," he said.

"What?" she asked confusedly."

"Nevermind."

_You're intoxicating, _they thought as they kissed again.

The End

Nothing to say, really. Leave reviews.


	3. There was Something

**Alright, here's the next one...if people are even following this collection.**

**There was Something**

There was just something about the way Ino got mad. To him, it was just...he loved it. He loved the little twitch of her eyebrow when she got annoyed. Shikamaru loved how cute she looked when she was slightly annoyed. The little pout she developed and how her eyes got innocent and seemingly endless.

There was something about her when she got pissed off and enraged. There was something so irresistible. Shikamaru felt like running away in fear but at the same time, he felt like running towards her to kiss her. But, his fear usually won.

I mean, don't get me wrong. Shikamaru thought Ino was cute and beautiful and irresistible when she was happy but...there was just something! So one day, he decided to get her mad...or at least annoyed. He was just cloudwatching when she walked up to him, sitting down beside him. He grinned inwardly.

"Her Shika," she greeted happily. He didn't answer. Her eyebrow twitched and he grinned again. "I said 'hey shika'."

He rolled his eyes, sighed audibly and glanced at Ino as if she was unimportant. "Troublesome...hello Ino," he drawled. Her eyebrow twitched again and she narrowed her eyes. She decided to give him one more chance to be nice.

"How was your day?" she asked. He rolled his eyes and grunted. "Well...that's not an answer."

"So," he said, watchign the clouds floating by. It would be any second now.

Ino finally lost it and grabed his collar, pulling him up by it. Then she got real close and started yelling in his face.

"SHIKAMARU!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!! STOP BEING A STUPID, JERKY, BAKA!!!!" She screamed. "WHY WERE YOU BEING LIKE THAT!!!!!!"

He backed her up against a tree and grinned in her face. "There's just something about the way you get mad that makes you so irresistible," he breathed in her ear, sending a jolt up her spine and making her knees buckle. "It makes me want to kiss you."

Ino turned bright red and tried her best to glare at him as he turned and walked away. "Well...you better not do that again," she said shakily.

He turned around and Ino found that she couldn't move. Shikamaru walked forward, her copying him. They stopped in front of each other and leaned forward. He captured her lips with his, letting go of his shadow bind. Ino didn't seem to realize as she kept kissing him. He suddenly pulled back, smirked and started to walk away, leaving Ino there looking stunned. She opened her eyes and blinked, touching her lips. Then, she looked up at the retreating back of Shikamaru.

"NARA SHIKAMARU!!!! YOU GET YOUR A-- BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!"

And then Shikamaru ran for his life, grinning widely as he did so.

**Review if you want. Also, don't look for updates frequently. I'm not going to be trying to update all the time as if it was a story. If I have a new oneshot, I'll update. If I don't, then I won't. Whenever I get done, I'm stopping at probably 20. I have some ideas but...you know, writer's block. Also, when you keep writing a bunch of oneshots for one couple, you sometimes get turned off of that couple so...I might have to take a break sometimes. I hope you understand.**


	4. We Belong Together

**The things in bold (except this, of course) are the song lyrics. This is supposed to be how Shikamaru is on the mission when they're trying to get Sasuke back and Ino realized her feelings but it was too late. No, he didn't die but...you know, she has to wait till he comes back. Just read it!**

**We Belong Together**

Ino sighed as she remembered what happened. _Why did I say that? I'm such an idiot._

Flashback

_Ino was depressed all week because Sasuke had just told her again how much he loathed her. So, Ino had decided to give up on him even though it was hard. She had been hanging out with Shikamaru a lot to get her mind off of Sasuke. They were just coming out of the movie theater when it happened. Ino was dragging Shikamaru to another place, but even when he agreed she hadn't let go because she rather liked the feeling of his hand. As they walked down the street, Sakura came up with a huge grin on her face._

_"Aww, Ino-pig. You love Shikamaru," Sakura teased._

_"Eww. I don't love Shika," Ino shouted, letting go of his hand. A hurt look flashed across his face but it was quickly replaced by a mask of indifference. Yes, the Nara boy had come to like the time he spent with Ino and even if he wasn't sure if he loved her, it still hurt._

**I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you so.**

"I shouldn't have said that because now...I kind of think I do love him. And to make things worse, he already left to go retrieve that jerk Sasuke. Why did Sakura have to say that!? She's so annoying, always knowing how to make me say the wrong things. And, I don't even know if I'll ever see him again. For all I know, he could've d-di," Ino stopped as tears sprang up in her eyes. "And I didn't even try to stop him. I shouldn't have let him go."

**I should have held on tight, I never should've let you go. I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish, I was lying to myself.**

"I can't believe that I love him. I didn't have a crush on Sasuke. Or if I did, it ended since before we went into the chuunin exams. It was probably only to avoid my real feelings. I was lying to myself. Daddy always said I didn't like to admit to my feelings," Ino said.

**I couldn't have fathomed that I would ever be without your love.**

Now that Ino thought about it, there was never a real time that Shikamaru was ever mean to her. He was always nice and caring. He might have even loved her. He might have called her troublesome but he always helped her. He was always there for her. This is the first time she felt without his care and love.

**Never imagined I'd be sitting here beside myself.**

And now Ino was sitting here under a willow tree, under Shikamaru's favorite spot just thinking about him, all by herself.

**Cause I didn't know you.**

**Cause I didn't know me,**

**but I thought I knew everything.**

**I never felt...**

**the feeling that I'm feeling now**

**that I don't hear your voice**

**or have your touch**

**and kiss your lips**

**cause I don't have a choice**

Ino had never felt this way before. She didn't like the feeling. It was like everything that mattered was just...out of her reach and she couldn't feel happy. She just felt...deprived...of everything important. She remembered how she always felt so safe when Shikamaru hugged her or just held her. How comforted she felt when she heard his voice telling her that everything was going to be all right and that she was safe now. How happy she had felt when he had kissed her, on the lips, not in a romantic way but just in a friendly way to make her feel better. But now...now Ino couldn't feel the touch of his arms, hear the sound of his voice or...kiss his lips. She had no choice.

**Oh, what I wouldn't give**

**To have you lying by my side**

**Right here, cause baby...**

Ino lay down, staring at the clouds that so reminded the girl of her Shika. Yes, _her_ Shika. And she really, really, really...

...wanted him by her side. Lying there with her.

**When you left**

**I lost a part of me**

**It's still so hard to believe**

**Come back baby please, cause**

**We belong together**

Ino realized that they were perfect for each other. When he left, it was like a part of her was missing. Like part of her heart had been ripped out and now it was just hollow. It was so hard to believe that she never realized...they belonged together. She needed him to come back.

If he didn't...

**Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough?**

Shikamaru was the person she leaned on, the shoulder she cried on, and the boy she had come to love.

**Who's gonna talk to me on the phone till the sun comes up?**

One time Sakura had tried to call Ino and she never reached her. When she had talked to her the next day, she said that Ino's phone was busy from five o'clock to twelve in the morning. Ino remembered that was the day she was talking to Shikamaru. They had stayed on longer than expected.

**Who's gonna take your place? There ain't nobody better.**

And nobody could take his place. There was no one better for Ino. It was too bad she had to realize this too late. He could be dead or...he might not even love her back. He might still be mad at her for saying what she did the other day.

**Oh Shika, baby...we belong together**, Ino thought.

**I can't sleep at night**

**When you are on my mind**

**Akeboshi's on the radio**

**Singing to me**

**'If you think you're lonely now'**

**Wait a minute**

**This is too deep, too deep**

**I gotta change the station**

**So I turn the dial**

**Trying to catch a break**

**And then I hear Or-ange Range** (Draw 'orange' out to fit into two syllables.)

The night she heard about Shikamaru leaving, Ino couldn't get to sleep. She tried listening to the radio. It didn't help. If anything, it made things worse. Akeboshi's new song called 'If You Think You're Lonely Now' really made her sad and she had no hope of falling asleep after that. She just sat at her desk, looking at old pictures of when they were younger. A tear had fallen from her eye when she saw a picture of her and Shikamaru, him scowling and blushing, and her kissing him on the cheek.

**I only think of you and it's breaking my heart.**

**I'm trying to keep it together,**

**But I'm falling apart.**

**I'm feeling all out of my element,**

**throwing things,**

**crying,**

**trying to figure out**

**where the hell I went wrong.**

And then her dad made it even worse. The next morning, she had come downstairs, bags around her eyes, still puffy and red from crying. He had teased her about loving that Nara boy, trying to get an emotion other than sadness out of her. She got the full force of the fact that she really did love him and he might be gone forever. She went crazy, throwing things at her dad, yelling and tears streaming down her face all the while. Where the hell did she go wrong? Why didn't she realize her feelings earlier?

**The pain reflected in this song**

**Ain't even half of what**

**I'm feeling inside**

**I need you, need you back in my life baby, **Ino thought sadly.

**When you left I lost a part of me.**

**It's still so hard to believe.**

**Come back baby please, 'cause...**

**we belong together.**

**Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough?**

**Who's gonna talk to me on the phone till the sun comes up?**

**Who's gonna take your place? There ain't nobody better.**

**Oh Shika, baby,**

**We belong together.**

**Baby!**

Ino was still thinking about what could have been. Suddenly, she thought of a sadder song than 'If you think you're lonely now' by Akeboshi. It was by some person from another country. It was... Mariah Carey, that's what it was. Sometimes, when she was feeling sad, a sad song helped her feel better so Ino started singing.

**"When you left I lost a part of me**

**It's still so hard to believe**

**Come back baby please, 'cause**

**We belong together.**

Ino was still singing but she didn't seem to notice that Shikamaru was standing right behind her. He was slightly out of breath because right after he had reported to the Hokage, went home and got a shower, he was out running to find her, not even bothering to get some sleep.

**Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough?**

**Who's gonna talk to me till the sun comes up?**

**Who's gonna take your place?"**

**"There ain't nobody better," **Shikamaru said as he came closer.

Ino's eyes widened. She stood up and spun around to find herself staring into Shikamaru's eyes. She pounced on him, knocking them both to the ground, and threw her arms around his neck. For the milllionth time since he left, tears streamed down her face as she cried into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her back and shoulders as she shook violently, gripping him like as if she would never let go.

**Oh, baby baby**

"Shikamaru!" Ino cried as she finally let go but stayed in his embrace. "I really missed you. And I realizeed while you were gone that...I love you."

"I love you too Ino," Shikamaru said.

"Shika," Ino said softly, looking into his eyes for a moment before kissing him on the lips and wrapping her arms around his neck again.

**They belong together.**

**The End**

**Okay, now, about a few things. The things that are underlined are things that I've changed to be more personalized. Like for example, 'Akeboshi's on the radio'. It was really 'Bobby Momack's on the radio' but Akeboshi is a japanese band and I decided to put that in there instead. Same thing with 'Orange Range'. It was supposed to be 'Babyface'. Also, dialogue that's bolded are the song lyrics but the Characters are saying them. One more thing, sometimes I replaced 'baby' with 'Shika'. Only when they said 'baby' twice. That is all. Sorry for the huge author's note.**


	5. Ino's Christmas Wish

**A holiday fic for Christmas. This is my present to you. It's very corny at some parts. Oh well. I risked my family seeing this so I had to make it quick. All my family was over for dinner but I don't like them reading my stories so...yeah.**

**Ino's Christmas Wish**

Ino and Shikamaru were sitting at a restaurant, eating. It was 11 something because they were on a mission where they had gotten up really late. Since they had a huge Lunner, this was their late, late dinner. At 11 something. It was Christmas Eve and they had just finished their last minute shopping when Ino had suggested they eat. Ino looked over at Shikamaru, studying him as he ate. Shikamaru had gotten very handsome over the years. He wasn't as lazy as before which had really done him some good. He had quite a few fangirls. Ino scowled at this thought. She didn't like those fangirls. They didn't love her Shika the way she did. Yes, the Yamanaka girl had finally realized her true feelings but she didn't tell him because she was scared he would break her heart. She studied every inch of his face and had to stop herself from giggling when Shikamaru made a face after he decided to try a mysterious black sauce. She resumed staring at his face and her gaze landed on his lips. How she wanted to kiss them. Ino blushed as she thought this. Shikamaru looked up.

"Something wrong, Ino?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh-oh no," she said. She looked down at her plate.

"I...just thought...you had food in your teeth," she lied, pushing the food around with her fork.

"Oh," Shikamaru said. "You're not hungry? You've hardly touched your food since that bite about ten minutes ago."

"Oh...I was just thinking," she said.

"Hm..."

"...Yeah..."

"So...what do you want for Christmas?" Shikamaru asked.

"Well..." Ino trailed off, thinking.

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"Hey, Ino," called Shikamaru. She turned around.

"Come with me. I have to show you something," he motioned for her to follow him.

"...Where are you taking me?" she asked after a while of following him.

"You'll see."

He took her hand, neither of them really noticing as he led her along a path. The path was long and winding, taking them through some sort of forest. Ino looked around. There were fireflies everywhere and the moon was shining bright overhead. It was beautiful. They finally came to a stop in a small clearing overlooking a river that was down below it. There was a small bench on the edge of the ledge and there was a garden growing around the bench. They sat down.

"Oh, Shika. It's beautiful! Thanks for bringing me here," Ino hugged him.

He grinned. "I thought you would like it."

"This is really really nice!" Ino said.

She plucked a flower from the ground. It was silver and it glowed beautifully in the moonlight. They sat there in silence. Ino admired the flower but became still and rigid as she felt Shikamaru's fingers gently caressing her cheek. She turned to face him and she saw that he had a soft smile on his face.

"Shikamaru?" she questioned.

"Hm?"

"Why...were you...?" she trailed off and blushed at the awkward question she was about to ask.

"No reason. I was just thinking about how beautiful you are," he said, making her blush more. "And...how much I love you."

"What?" she questioned.

"..." he didn't say anything but just kissed her, soft and chaste at first but firmer when she finally responded. They broke apart and stared into each other's eyes.

"I love you too," she said.

"Ino."

"Ino."

Ino?"

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"Ino?!"

"Ino!"

Ino looked up at Shikamaru who was looking curiously at her.

"Well?" he asked. She got up and he followed after paying the bill. "What do you want?"

She sighed before turning around and kissing him on the lips. She separated from him and smiled at the bewildered expression on his face and then turned around and walked away.

"Something like that," Ino called back over her shoulder.

She smiled again as she remembered his expression but then it dropped from her face as she thought of something else. He would probably avoid her since it was probably very awkward for him. Oh well, she smiled sadly. He had asked and she had answered truthfully.

"Ino!"

Ino turned around and her eyes widened as she felt his lips fall on hers. She responded immediately, no matter how much her brain kept telling her that she would et her heart broken. They broke apart from each other and he smiled warmly at her.

"Merry Christmas, Ino," he said. "I love you."

"Wha..." she trailed off as she followed his raised finger to the Konoha clock seen everywhere from Konoha Square. It read 12:01.

"S-Shika."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, resting his head on her hair.

"I love you too," she murmured into his shirt as she wrapped her own arms around his waist. "Merry Christmas."

**The End**

**And Merry Christmas to you guys too. Also, Happy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and all the other holidays that I didn't list so that I don't offend anyone. Have a nice winter break.**


	6. Night and Day

**Okay, here's another. Leave reviews if you wish. Thanks to Kunai1415, Mz.Chiibi, and Libaka for following all my oneshots. I want to give a special thanks to Tomboy14, Selene69, and Elsie-neechan who have reviewed for most if not all of my stories. I love you guys!**

**Night and Day**

They were different. Different as night and day. It was such a contrast. One was lazy and grumpy. He was mature and he was a genuis. The other was energetic and bubbly. She was childish and she could be kind of clueless. They were best friends, him and her. They could be seen together almost all the time. His dark hair and her platinum locks. Her sapphire eyes and his coal-black ones.

They complimented each other. Like night and day. Everyone knew it. Her energetic personality kept him active. His laziness calmed her down. Her talkative nature made up for his quiet one. They were perfect for each other. Everyone knew it. Everyone except them. Their friends tried to tell them. They refused to listen. They said they were just friends. But the others knew better. Everyone did. The two didn't seem to realize that day and night might be separate but... they're still together. They were still one sky, one person.

Shikamaru was the first to realize that he loved the energetic blond. She kept him in balance. Without her, it'd be like...he was without day. Her eyes were his sky, her hair his sun. She brightened up his life.

Ino seemed to realize much later. She was always stubborn about her feelings. She realized one day when Sakura finally asked her what she would do without Shikamaru. She had answered truthfully, saying that she wouldn't know what to do and that she'd probably die without him around. Her eyes had widened then. After Sakura called her a baka and hit her many, many times for being so stupid, she rushed off to go tell Shikamaru that she did indeed love him.

He was lying down in the grass in his favorite spot, looking at the sun slowly setting behind the clouds. She sat down next to him and pulled her knees to her chest, opting to stay quiet. Him, sensing something was up, asked her what was wrong. She shook her head, smiling softly. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. It was getting dark now and the two friends just sat in silence until Ino finally broke it.

"You know, you're like the night sky," she said.

"Oh really?" he said, not looking at her. "How?"

"Well, night is when everything's calm and quiet. It's when everyone goes to sleep. And when I'm around you, I feel calm, relaxed, and sometimes I even fall asleep," Ino explained. "Plus, your hair is dark like the sky and your eyes are too."

"Hm..." Shikamaru said to show he was listening. "...You're my sky."

"Huh?" Ino asked.

"I said 'you're like the day'," Shikamaru said instead.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, your eyes are like the sky and your hair is like the sun," Shikamaru said. "And when I'm around you, I can't go to sleep."

"Oh yeah, but...that's not what you said the first time."

"Huh?" Shikamaru asked.

"You didn't say 'you're like the day'," she said, grinning. He blushed. "So...what did you say?"

"I said..."

"Yeah?"

"You're my sky," Shikamaru said, hoping she wouldn't press the subject.

"And... what was that supposed to mean?" Ino asked teasingly, grinning even wider.

"It means...I can't live without the sky...or you," he said, not looking at her. "And I love the sky."

"Sooo..." she said slowly. "What does that last bit mean?"

"..." Shikamaru didn't answer as he sat up and leaned towards her.

"S-shika..." Ino trailed off as he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. They broke apart.

"It means I love you," he finally said. "And you're my little piece of sky."

"I love you too," Ino said quietly.

She grabbed his hand and held it in hers. They looked up to the stars and smiled softly. They had found their piece of sky.

**The End**

**Okay, well...this didn't end as I planned but I still like it! Hope you do too.**


	7. Cold

**Here's another oneshot. Nothing to say about this one, really.**

**Cold**

"Ugh, I hate winter!" screamed Ino, violently brushing off all the snow on her coat.

She glared at the sky, willing it to stop but it defied her as a gust of wind blew, pushing her hair all over the place as if teasing her. She was about to complain when another gust blew in her face. She stayed on the bench she was sitting on, glaring at everything. She didn't know why she was sitting there. She supposed she could've gone to one of her friends' houses but...she didn't really feel like it. And she couldn't go home since she had locked herself out and her dad was away on a mission.

"It couldn't get any worse!" Ino said, which usually does make things worse. Snow fell harder and the winds picked up their speed. "I spoke too soon!"

"Ino," came a voice. "What are you doing out here?"

Ino looked up to see Shikamaru and sighed heavily. "I locked myself out of my house and my dad is away so I was just..."

"Going to sit out here and freeze to death!?" he exclaimed.

"No!! Sit here and think about what I should do!"

"Oh," Shikamaru sat down beside her. She moved closer and leaned her head on his shoulder to be next to him and his body heat.

"I hate winter," she stated again. He looked down on her and reached a gloved hand up to move a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Is that so?" he asked, slightly amused. "And why is that?"

"Winter is ugly," she said grumpily. "It's so white and gray and...WHITE!! Everywhere you look, it's white!"

"Snow is pretty," Shikamaru said.

"Yes, Shika," Ino said, exasperated. "Maybe when it's a little layer but not when it's a HUGE, WHITE BLANKET of snow!!! And I don't know why you like it because all your precious clouds are gone, blending in with the gray sky. And your bright, blue sky is gone too."

"Yes, I see your point," Shikamaru said. She ranted on anyway.

"And there are no pretty flowers around. No pretty colors or anything. It's just white, white, white!" she said. "And it's too COLD! It was already bad enough when there was no color but it's windy and you have to stay indoors and..."

"Ino," Shikamaru said. Ino ignored him.

"...And the sun! It's nowhere to be found..."

"Ino."

"And it kills off all innocent life as we know it, ripping it to shreds. It devours it, Shika! DEVOURS it!!!!" she said dramatically.

Shikamaru just stared at her for a few seconds.

"...And those horrible decorations. They're so tacky...!"

"Ino."

"...And can you believe someone actually made up someone called Santa Claus...?"

"Ino."

"...Christmas is good but...Santa Claus...!?"

"Ino."

"...I mean, if it's cold_ here_, he would _never_ survive in the North Pole..."

"Ino."

"And going back to cold," Ino continued. Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes. "I mean, why can't it be white with snow and still be warm! Nobody likes to be cold. I mean, it makes you go all numb and you get sick. And it kills the poor flowers..."

"I'm so cold!!! I really don't like the cold and- Shika!" she squeaked in surprise.

Shikamaru had just wrapped his arms around her, bringing Ino even closer to him. She looked up at him right before he planted a kiss on her lips. She didn't respond for a moment but then became aware of what was happening. Ino wrapped her arms around Shikamaru's neck and deepened the kiss. They stayed like that for a while and then finally separated, a dazed look on Ino's face. He grinned.

"_Now_ are you cold?" he asked. She blushed and shook her head. "See, I warmed you up."

"Actually..." she said, a sly tone in her voice. "I'm getting kind of cold again."

He looked at her, an eyebrow raised in question. She pouted cutely.

"Aren't you going to warm me up?" she asked innocently. He grinned as he kissed her again, longer this time.

"Thank you, Shika-kun. I'm not so cold anymore."

**The End**

**Okay, well I rather liked that one. Leave reviews if you want.**


	8. What Would You Do?

**Here's another one.**

**What Would You Do?**

Ino was sitting in the grass, her knees drawn to her chest. She was staring out into the distance, not a tear on her face and that was weird. It was weird because she had just witnessed Sasuke and Sakura. In a room. On a couch. Kissing. Now, Ino was friends with Sakura so she couldn't exactly bust in the room and push Sakura off him, shouting 'What the hell are you doing with _my_ Sasuke-kun, forehead-girl?!' So she did the sensible thing and walked away silently. She had walked to an isolated spot in the Konoha Park, expecting to be alone when she would start crying. But those tears never came and she was slightly mad at herself for it. I mean, aren't you supposed to cry when you see someone you love kissing someone else? And Ino loved Sasuke, right? I mean, that's why she used to fight Sakura,_ right_?

Wrong.

Too bad she didn't know.

Now Shikamaru was trying to find her because it just so happened that Sakura had seen Ino when she had looked through the window and saw them kissing. She had called her but she must not have heard her. So she went to Shikamaru, Ino's best friend and asked him to help her. He had agreed after muttering how troublesome it all was and how come girls were all so emotional. Sakura had thought for a moment about how all this was coming from the boy who cried when he thought he lost his teamates and how he had said he would quit being a ninja. But she dismissed it and sent the boy after Ino. Shikamaru had seen Ino lying in the grass but was very surprised to see that she was not crying.

"Ino," he called.

She looked up and upon seeing who it was, just stared back into the distance again. He laid down next to her, not knowing what to say. Finally, he thought of something.

"Um...Ino, why aren't you crying?" Shikamaru asked.

"I've been trying to figure that out for the longest time," she whispered. "Aren't you supposed to cry when you love someone?"

"But Ino...I don't think you really loved him," Shikamaru said. Surprisingly, she didn't blow up in his face.

"Oh, really? Why do you say that?" she asked him calmly.

"Well...I just don't think you're meant to be. Nobody really does."

"Hm..."

"I'll test you," Shikamaru said. Ino looked up at him confusedly. "Well...what would you do?...If you were going out with Sasuke?"

"Well...I'd be happy and probably rub it in the fangirls' and Sakura's faces," Ino said truthfully.

_Baka, that's not what love is, _he thought. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Be more specific, Ino. What would you do with him? Imagine yourself just eating at the Ichiraku Shack with him," he said.

_What would I do?_

She found that she couldn't imagine that. She tried harder and saw Sasuke not really touching his ramen and rolling his eyes every few minutes, saying 'hn' every time she asked a question or struck up a conversation. Ino saw herself and Sasuke finish eating and Sasuke just walked away, not bothering to wave, pay the bill, _or_ walk her home. She developed a scowl on her face and when she looked at Shikamaru, he had an amused look on his face.

"What?" she snapped.

"Did you have a good time on your date?" he asked teasingly. She looked back at the sky, not even caring.

"No...in fact I didn't," Ino said. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. _That seemed ...wrong. Really, really wrong. I'm really not meant to go out with someone like him. Even if he was talking...it would still seem unnatural like I...don't really like him._

Then without really trying, she pictured Shikamaru and herself at Ichiraku's, just eating. They were having a very nice conversation, eating their ramen and smiling. Ino was chattering on and on to Shikamaru about the latest gossip. Even if he said 'troublesome' she seemed to know that he was kidding and would slap his arm lightly, making him grin. After they were done eating, Shikamaru paid the bill and they got up. She grabbed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. He walked her home and when they got there, he kissed her on the cheek. Ino saw herself pout and pulled him in for a kiss on the lips.

She opened her eyes very quickly, blushing deeply. Then she smiled softly as she pictured it again. That was what seemed right. It didn't seem like it would never happen. On the contrary, it felt somehow... like an ordinary, everyday thing. She glanced over at Shikamaru and the blood rushed to her cheeks again. She quickly looked to the sky.

"So... you don't really know what you would do?" Shikamaru asked.

"Nope. I don't like him anymore. He's too...ignorant," Ino said and told him what she pictured. He laughed softly.

"Well at least you don't like him," he said.

"I don't think I ever really did like him. I might have had a small crush on him in the very beginning but then it just turned into a contest with Sakura...at least on my part," she explained.

"Yeah."

They stared at the sky in silence, Ino fidgeting a lot, looking at him and blushing every time she thought of what she had imagined. Finally, he looked at her, a questioning look on his face.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked. She looked over at him and blushed once again.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"Hm," he glanced at her again but then went back to watching the clouds.

"Hey, Shika," she called. He looked over curiously.

"Yeah?"

She rolled over on her stomach and held her head up with one hand, staring down at Shikamaru.

"What would you do," she started. "If...I...kissed you?"

He lay there, not knowing what to say. Was this some sort of trick question?

"I-Ino, w-wha...?" Shikamaru stopped and just stared at the girl in front of him. She dropped her hand from her chin onto his chest, balancing herself.

_Well...if you want to know the answer, sometimes you have to just do it,_ and with that...thought, she slowly leaned down and pressed her lips to his. His eyes widened in shock but closed after a moment or so and he finally responded. He wrapped his arms around her and brought Ino closer to him. They finally broke apart, dazed looks on their faces. Shikamaru looked curiously up at the girl resting on his chest.

"Ino," he called. She looked down at him. "What would you do if...I told you...I loved you?"

Her eyes widened and she smiled. "I would say I love you too and then I'd kiss you again."

And that is exactly what they did.

_That's what I'd do._

**And that is the end.**

**If you liked it, good. If not...well, I tried. But, I liked it.**

**Okay, here's a song to motivate you to review! (music to 'these words' starts)**

**Pleeeeeaaseeeee review this fiiiccc...review this fic...I'll love you, I'll love you, I'll love you, I'll love you, I'll love you...Pleeeeeaasseeee review this fiiiccc...review this fic...I'll love you, I'll love you.**


	9. Happy Valentine's Day?

**Happy Valentine's Day. Even though I don't really celebrate it...whatever, here's your little valentine's present. This one might be longer than expected. Slight, slight other pairings.**

**Happy...Valentine's Day?**

"Okay, Kakashi tell me about you team," Tsunade said, turning to the silver-haired jounin who had his head in his book. The other jounins sweatdropped and Kurenai snatched the book out of his hand and burned it.

"Oh my god!!! My book! My beautiful book!! You are one horrible person!!" Kakashi yelled dramatically, pointing at Kurenai. She scoffed and the book appeared in her hand.

"Genjutsu, idiot," she said simply.

"Ahem," Tsunade lightly coughed. The senseis remained oblivious. "A-hem."

"You are so cruel!!" Kakashi said, tears streaming down his face. "That was almost a heartbreaking moment for me!!"

"Oh please," Kurenai waved her hand. "Stop being a retart."

"Stop being A JERK!!!"

"WELL, STOP BEING STUPID, STUPID!!" Kurenai yelled. Tsunade had a huge vein throbbing on her forehead. And then Gai spoke.

"OH FELLOW JOUNINS! I DO NOT THINK IT IS YOUTHFUL TO YELL WHILE THE HOKAGE IS TRYING TO TALK!!!"

"Thank you Ga-" Tsunade started.

"AND WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUTH!!! YELLING IS SOMETIMES NOT ALWAYS YOUTHFUL!! OF COURSE...I YELL ALL THE TIME! I'M ACTUALLY DOING IT RIGHT NOW IF YOU DIDN'T NOTICE...SO I GUESS YELLING IS YOUTHFUL!!!" Gai yelled, making an even bigger vein appear on Tsunade's head. "AND ALSO-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" An enraged Tsunade slammed her clenched fist on the oak desk. There was complete silence and they all stared at their Hokage. "Ahem, thank you. Now, Kakashi...tell me about your team."

"Of course. Sakura is still in love with Sasuke and Sasuke seems to be more warm towards her and can be caught sometimes staring at her," Kakashi said. "And Naruto, he's always talking about 'Hinata-chan this' and 'Hinata-chan that'. And they're all getting stronger."

Tsunade nodded to Kurenai. "Okay, well Kiba's doing well. So is Shino. They claim to have girlfriends and I have seen them hanging out with some girls lately but who knows. It hasn't been intefering with their training and they even seem a bit more determined. Hinata seems to be getting a lot stronger lately and I think she's been training with Naruto because she did mention him one time."

"Shikamaru and Chouji are getting much stronger and Shikamaru has even made up some jutsus. Ino is getting stronger and she's gotten over Uchiha. She and Shikamaru hang out a lot and I sometimes see her about to tell Shikamaru something and it looks like she's nervous and then she gets mad when Shikamaru says something like 'troublesome' or 'what a drag' or something like that. So then they end up arguing but you can tell they're not really mad at each other...and Ino never does say what she wanted to," Asuma added, thinking.

"Neji and Tenten are almost always together. They spar together and they even 'hang out' as the young, hip kids say today. They are both getting strong and Lee, of course under _my_ supervision has become..." Gai started ranting on 'youth' and 'lotus flowers' and 'springtime' and 'hipness' and 'fiery' 'passion' and 'youthfulness' so we can basically imagine the overall message of his little speech.

"Ahem...that's enough Gai," Tsunade said. He seemed not to hear her so Asuma and Kakashi put tape on his mouth and then wound more tape around his whole head and pinned his arms to his sides.

"Why his arms?" Kurenai asked.

"For good measure," they shrugged.

"Okay, this is important," Tsunade bent down behind her desk and the senseis heard scraping as she opened her desk drawers one by one, searching for something. "As you all know, today is Valentine's Day. It's not important for the whole of Konoha but...it's still important because it involves _my_ favorite chuunin and _I'm_ Hokage so that's reason enough."

The senseis sweatdropped and she continued on, not even noticing their odd stares. "Anyway, it seems love is in the air and I am planning on actually making it solid. With the cluelessness of you guys minus Kurenai, my cute little chuunin will never get together so I have taken it into my own hands," Tsunade said, finally emerging from behind her desk, holding two jars of pink liquid.

"Um...Tsunade-sama...what's that?" Kakashi asked, squinting as he studied the pink drink. Hey that rhymed! Ahem...Anyway, the pink substance glowed and seemed to be bubbling. The senseis took an involuntary step back.

"It's...well, you know, it's a love potion," Tsunade said. She then burst out into evil laughter. The senseis looked at her with a look on their face that was a combination between "really!!?" and "Are you drinking the sake again?"

Tsunade cleared her throat. "Actually, it's not. I was just joking. No, it's really just a potion that makes the person who drinks it tell the truth to the person they love. And also, it might make them act on what they truly want to do. But still, only having to do with love."

"Oh, so you want us to-" Kakashi started.

"MY plan!! Anyway, you're going to give them to certain people," Tsunade said. "Kakashi, you give it to Sasuke. Kurenai, you give it to Hinata. Asuma, you give it to Ino and Gai...you know what? Split it in half and give it to Neji and Tenten."

Tsunade divided the liquid into four different containers. "They should get together by the end of today. If they don't...it's your heads."

"Yosh!!!" Gai saluted. The other senseis just stared.

"O...k," Kakashi said slowly. He walked out of the room with his container. The other senseis looked expectantly at Tsunade.

"You're dismissed," She said, waving her hand.

**Team Gai**

"Neji, Tenten!!" Gai yelled. "I have a youthful drink that I wish for you to try out!!"

"Hn, no thanks," Neji turned away. Tenten looked at it, distrust clearly on her face. I mean, this is Gai. Who knows what could happen?

"Why? Oh, you're scared it's poison. Don't worry, it's not like last time when the potion I made turned you into a llama and an eagle. This was made by Tsunade and it's an order that you drink it," Gai said.

"Do I get a youthful drink too?!" Lee said, jumping around Gai.

"I'm sorry, Lee. But, it's really a drink that will make them tell the truth. They'll finally discover their hidden love," Gai gave Lee the thumbs up which Lee returned. He turned to the other two again. "After you drink that, have a youthful vacation."

"Well...bottoms up, I guess," Tenten said.

"Hn," Neji grunted.

They lifted their cups and gulped down the contents. They blinked and looked at each other.

**Team 7**

"Yo, sorry I'm late," Kakashi said.

"Why are you late!?" Sakura and Naruto demanded.

"Tsunade called an emergency meeting," Kakashi said.

"Liar!!!" they shouted.

"No, I'm not...Tsunade tells Sasuke to drink this," Kakashi turned to his quiet student and handed the cup to the boy. "Also, no training."

"Hn," he drank it and turned to Sakura and Naruto. His face seemed...slightly different, somehow.

**Team 8**

"Hinata...I have something for you from Tsunade," Kurenai said, giving Hinata a cup. "And I'm giving you the day off."

"A-arigato," she said quietly as she took the cup from Kurenai and drank the liquid. She immediately felt something wrong with herself. It seemed like a braver side took over. She felt like she wanted to do something though she wasn't sure just yet.

**Team 10**

"Sorry I'm late," Asuma said as he faced Ino. "Here, this is for you. It's from Tsunade."

"Why do I have to drink this?" Ino said, looking at her sensei distrustingly.

"It's just a present from Tsunade," he said, raising his hands in defense. She looked at him one more time before swallowing the cup's contents. She blinked and looked over at Shikamaru. He looked back and she smiled.

"I can tell this is going to work. Ino never smiles at Shikamaru like that," Asuma muttered to himself. "Oh um...no training today. Chouji, let's go!"

"What?"

"I'm going to um...take you out for barbeque."

"Oh cool!"

"Whatever," Shikamaru sat down under a tree and leaned against the trunk. Ino sat next to him and grabbed his hand. He turned to her. "Um...Ino?"

"You're so cute," she said sweetly as she moved closer to him. He, despite his shock, blushed. He quickly got over his shock and asked her, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing...can't I say your cute?" she said, blinking innocently. He didn't say anything. He was just a little bit scared as he watched her entertwining her fingers with his.

**Team Gai**

"Well, bye teammates," Lee say. "May youthfulness stay with you even when I'm not here."

They just watched as he walked away with Gai.

"Hey, Neji," Tenten said. **_What the hell am I about to do?_**

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I got something to say," she said. "I don't know why I'm saying this because you probably don't feel the same way but...let's say I'm under the influence."

She kind of was. But anyway, she took a deep breath and looked Neji straight in the eye.

"Hyuuga Neji...I, Tenten...actually, love you," she said as she looked to the ground.

"I love you too," he answered.

"What?!" Tenten snapped her head up to look at him.

"I. Love. You. Too," he said slowly.

He stepped up to her and enveloped her in a hug. He then softly kissed her. And since, you know they weren't..._themselves _and the potion effected them in a _very_ weird way, they grabbed each other's hands and skipped happily into the sunset, never to be seen again.Well, you know not _really._

**Team 7**

"Sasuke are you alright?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke had a...smile on his face. A real genuine smile so that's why he had looked different. He looked over at Naruto, "Yes. I'm okay."

"Yeah...I'm leaving," Naruto announced as he left.

"Hey, Sakura?" Sasuke said. Since he was...well, Sasuke, the potion only caused him to admit to stuff. It didn't make him real loving or obsessed with Sakura. Anyway, she turned to him and smiled warmly.

"Yeah?"

"Um...I gotta tell you something," Sasuke hardly knew what he was doing now. All he knew was that it was against his will. He stepped close to Sakura and stared into her eyes, making her blush. "But it's not much...you see, I've...um...I've always...from a while ago...kind of...well, I've really liked you."

"Sasuke-kun?" she questioned.

"Yeah...it's true," he whispered as he closed his eyes, refusing to make eye-contact. "I-I...I lo...love you."

"I love you too," Sakura said but she didn't throw herself on him like he expected. She just stepped up to him and hugged him softly. He pulled her away and pressed his lips onto hers. And then they disappeared into that mysterious sunset, holding each other's hand. Except...it wasn't anywhere near time for a sunset. It was only 2:00 in the afternoon.

**Hinata**

Hinata was walking towards town, against her will, in search of Naruto. She had finally figured out what she was going to do. And since Hinata is extremely shy, she was basically fighting herself. As she neared the street, she grabbed a tree in a desperate attempt to stop...well, herself. Her legs refused to cooperate and kept walking along. She entered town and neared the ramen shack where she knew Naruto was going to be. And, unfortunately for once, there he was.

"Hey, Naruto-kun," she greeted as she sat next to him, not shy at all.

"Hi, Hinata-chan!" Naruto replied.

**_Could you at least do it in private? I'm already not in control. Can't I pick where I want to confess to him? _**Hinata thought.

_Alright...good idea. The ramen shack isn't very romantic, _her inner self, who was now in control, replied.

"Um...say, Naruto-kun? Would you help me train?" Hinata said.

"Oh sure! I was just finishing," he said as he paid the bill and hopped off the stool, following Hinata as she went to a clearing.

"Well, what do you want to train?" Naruto asked.

"Well...actually...I just wanted to tell you something," Hinata said.

"Oh? So...what is it, Hinata-chan?" Naruto was deeply interested. Hinata wasn't twiddling her fingers and that was something.

"Well, Naruto-kun I..." Hinata momentarily tried to stop herself but she failed and she just blurted it out. "I love you!"

Naruto stood there, his mouth open in shock as he stared at the gil in front of him. She didn't even turn 20 different shades of red. She just calmly looked at him.

"I...I love you too, Hinata-chan," Naruto said.

**_I can't believe I just said that. My life is ruined and Naruto-kun's going to hate me and- what?! _**Hinata stopped in the mental berating of herself.

_He said he loves y-me...us?_ her inner self said, rather confused.

**_Oh my god!!_** Hinata thought before practically jumping on Naruto. She kissed him full on the lips and he wrapped his arms around her waist. And they too happily skipped off into the sunset. Actually, _they_ skipped happily to the ramen shack.

**Team 10**

"Okay, well I'm going to go now Ino," Shikamaru said as he got up. "I'm going swimming."

"Oh," she pouted but it almost immediately left her face. "Okay, well see you later."

**River**

"Ahh, an afternoon alone doing my second favorite activity. Swimming in the refreshing river. Nothing could be better than this," Shikamaru said as he floated on his back, closing his eyes.

"Hey, Shika-kun!" a voice rang out over the hills that surrounded the river.

"Hey, Ino," he said, slightly annoyed. He became more annoyed when he realized she had a bathing suit. She jumped in the water after setting something next to the tree. "Ino...um, didn't you say you would see me _later_?"

"This is later," she said. She pouted slightly. "Why? You don't want me here?"

"No," he said. "That's not it...i-"

"Oh, okay!" she said happily as she hugged him. "I packed some lunch for us after we're done swimming."

"Oh...thanks," he sighed ever so slightly.

It wasn't that he didn't like the attention. On the contrary, he loved it. And he loved the way she was finally spending time with him. That was the problem. He didn't want to love her. He was smarter than most and he actually realized that Ino's behavior had somthing to do with that pink stuff she drank. Unfortunately, he thought it was something that made people _act_ like they were in love. He knew Ino didn't really love him. And he didn't want to love her even more than he already did. If only there was something he could do.

After about an hour, they got out of the water and dried off. Shikamaru pulled on a shirt and sat down where Ino pulled out all the food and got Shikamaru's out first, making sure he was comfortable before she even thought of taking a bite.

"Thanks Ino," Shikamaru said as she placed chopsticks in his hand and his bowl in front of him. She smiled warmly at him making his stomach drop.

"No problem, Shika-kun," she said. He sighed. He was so happy with her but...he was sure the potion wasn't going to last. Pretty soon, Ino would be back to herself. And even though Shikamaru liked her that way too, she wouldn't like him. She would go back to the Uchiha. Yes, he didn't know that she was over Sasuke.

They spent a few more hours with each other with Ino hugging him and complimenting him. And she always found a way to hold his hand. It was like she needed to have contact with him at all times. It was driving Shikamaru insane. He would get so immensely sad when he thought about the moment when the lovesick Ino would change back to normal and hit him or yell at him for putting her under some kind of spell because no one could ever stop her from loving _Sasuke-kun_. Wait a minute. That was it. He would just get Ino to stop liking him. He could hurt her feelings and then she would just leave him alone. And then the next time they saw each other, she would be back to normal and maybe, just maybe, Shikamaru could stop loving her.

"Shika-kun," she mumbled as she hugged him for the hundreth time that day. "You're the best."

Why did she keep complimenting him over and over again? It made it even harder to do what he was about to do. Oh well, it was now or never.

"Ino..." this was it. It was for their own good. But...why did he feel so guilty? He momentarily lost his train of thought as he looked into her blue eyes staring up at him innocently. She still hadn't let go.

He took one last breath and looked away from her. "Ino...you have to stop."

"Stop what, Shika-kun?" she asked, looking confused.

"That. You're always being nice to me and spending all this time with me. You're...you're making me fall in love with you!" he exclaimed. He felt so frustrated right now. Why was it that on Valentine's Day, he had to _stop_ her from loving him? Why was it always so troublesome? Why was it always him?

"You love me?" Ino asked, slightly happy but still confused. This was not going in the right direction, Shikamaru decided.

"Yes-NO! No, I don't!" he said. Now, Ino looked like she was going to cry.

"...B-but..." she started.

"No...just stop. You're always...acting like you actually care. But...I was the only one who ever cared. You were the one who never seemed to actually love anybody but the Uchiha," Shikamaru said shakily, backing away from the girl.

"But, S-Shika-kun..." she stepped towards him and he backed away more. Tears appeared in her eyes.

"And that too. The real Ino never called me 'Shika-kun'. She didn't like me like you do. She **doesn't **like me like you do. She doesn't care about me like that either. She never compliments me. Or smiles at me. At least, not the way you were smiling. She doesn't do any of these things and she doesn't love me so why should I fall in love if it's not even for real?! Huh? As soon as I feel happy, the potion will probably wear off and she- you! won't even love me," he said. "So...I don't want to love you."

"...Shika-kun...I do," she tried one last time to make him hear her but her own cries cut her voice off. Tears started streaming down her face. She looked into his eyes and more cries escaped. "S-Shika...k-kun, I **do **love you."

"It doesn't matter. The real Ino doesn't," he said stubbornly, not moving an inch towards her.

"But, why can't you see?! She loves you too. She's already gotten over the Uchiha. The thing I drank...it just made me want to tell the truth and do what I longed to do the most. It was supposed to make me admit to my feelings."

"...No. That can't be it..." Shikamaru shook his head slightly. He didn't want to believe it. Ino would turn back any minute now.

"Shika-kun...please. Why won't you believe me? I **do** love you. I was just too afraid to admit it and the potion..." Ino stopped, knowing that this wouldn't work.

She was just going in circles. She choked back another cry and stepped towards him. He didn't do anything. She was in front of him now and all they did was stare into each other's eyes. She could see it now. He did love her. He was afraid...but of what? Of...rejection? But she had already told him that she loved him. Ino could already feel the potion wearing away. What was she supposed to do then? He would probably ignore her or not get anywhere close to her until he had gotten over her completely. More tears streamed down her face and Shikamaru stepped towards her to wipe them away but quickly withdrew his hand as if he had gotten scalded. Ino wiped the tears from her eyes and pressed her lips to his. His eyes widened and he tensed but she placed her hands on his shoulders as she desperately tried to convey the message to him. She frowned when he didn't respond and pressed more firmly onto his lips. She finally pulled away and looked sadly into his eyes.

"Shika-kun...can you just-I mean I-Aargh! I do love you! And you're coming with me. I'll prove it to you!"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her as she stomped up a hill in some direction. Shikamaru realized it was the hill they went to to watch stars. There was only one tree at the top and on one side of it,_ 'Ino' _was carved in the trunk. The bush covered the rest of the message. She moved the bushes aside and it said '_and Sasuke'_. The _Sasuke _part was barely readable because most of it was scraped off. Under that was '_Shikamaru'._

"..." All Shikamaru could do was stare.

"See...I do love you. I got over Sasuke and then I started hanging out with you and I...started getting feelings for you," she said. "And I was going to tell you but you always said 'troublesome' or 'what a drag' and then we would end up fighting. And I really wanted to tell you but..."

"..." All Shikamaru could do was feel guilty. He...was an idiot.

"S-Shikamaru? Why are you staring at me like that?" the potion wore off and Ino momentarily didn't know what was happening but then it all came rushing back. Everything, even the...confession.

"...Oh."

"Ino...I'm really sorry. I didn't know the potion made you tell the truth. I didn't really want to make you cry. I just- I...I wanted you to stop loving me. I didn't realize that..."

"It's okay," she said softly. "I...I still love you."

She brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss and much to her delight, Shikamaru _finally _responded and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ino wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him even closer. They finally broke apart after a couple of minutes.

"I love you too Ino but...I'm still really sorry. I didn't know and..." Shikamaru started rambling on and on about how he was sorry and he didn't realize how much she loved him and he shouldn't have tried to make her cry and yadda yadda yadda. Ino rolled her eyes and just hugged him again.

Where the mysterious sunset led to...

"I can't believe the potion worked!" Tsunade said. "Didn't think it would affect her."

"Actually, I'm really surprised too," Asuma said.

"Me (munch) too," three guesses who that was.

"I'm so glad they got together! Aren't you, Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura asked her boyfriend who was sitting in the branch next to her.

"Hn...actually I guess I am," he answered. "One less fangirl chasing me."

"Oh, shut it Sasuke-teme. It's nice they got together," Naruto said. "Ne, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata giggled. "Of course, Naruto-kun. I'm really happy for them."

"Psst, Shino. Can you believe Hinata actually got together with Naruto?" Kiba whispered.

"Well...she was under the potion's influence," Shino said.

"And I see my team all got together," Kakashi said, his head in his book.

"I'm happy for Hinata and Naruto," Kurenai said. "They're so cute."

"They're so cute, right Neji-kun?" Tenten asked.

"Um...sure, let's go with that," Neji replied.

"Oh, my youthful teammates got together, Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed.

"I know. It is truly a youthful miracle!" Gai said.

They all jumped out of the tree and headed up the hill towards the oblivious couple, still in each others' arms. They all exchanged smiles as they saw that they were all together.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" they all said and they all grabbed each other's hands so that they were one big connected line and together they all walked into the mysterious sunset.

The End

If you don't like this, I'm sorry. I was trying not to make it a cliche fic. If it is...that'd be a shame. Oh well, hope you like it. Happy Valentine's Day.


	10. You're Not Her

**Okay, this is another one and you probably won't get the title until later. R and R.**

**You're Not Her**

Now Ino and Shikamaru had been going out for quite some time now. They loved each other, were there for each other, knew each other like no one else, and most importantly, they trusted each other completely. Well, almost completely. It was just when _that girl _came that things got bad. It was well known that Temari liked Shikamaru. And it was well known that she was just like Ino. And it was well known that Ino and Temari hated each other because of the one thing they had in common: Shika. So when Temari came around, Ino got...let's say overprotective. Yeah, let's go with that.

Whenever Shikamaru did anything, it was "what were you doing?!". If Shikamaru came late to lunch, it would be "Were you out with her?! Why are you late?!" where he would reply "I'm _always _late for lunch." and she would start apologizing. So then he tried to come early but that didn't work either. She would just say "Trying to get here early so I won't know you were out with _her_!" But, almost immediately after saying that, she would be ashamed and start apologizing over and over again, saying she was sorry and that she was just paranoid and worried that one day he wouldn't be there. And so he would always kiss her forehead and tell her that "yes, troublesome woman, I'll always be there because godammit, I love YOU!!" And she would feel assured but after a day or so, she would always be back to her nervous self. And so it went like that in a big cycle: acuse Shika, apologize to Shika, be assured by Shika, repeat.

And then one day, Shikamaru had enough. It was just another regular day when he came to his favorite cloud-watching spot on the hill. She was sitting there with her arms crossed, as if waiting for something. And before he could say anything, she started asking him all these questions.

"Oh my god, Shika! Why weren't you here? Huh, huh?" she asked and before he could answer, "You're always cloud watching and now you're not!! Were you with...Oh my God, I bet you were. You were with Temari weren't you?"

Now she was all but hyperventilating as she stared at Shikamaru, rocking back and forth, hugging herself as she thought of all the possibilities. The HORRIBLE possibilities. Shikamaru grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly until she looked at him.

"Ino! Listen carefully. I- stop rocking!!! I need you to stop being so-stop it!!- so paranoid!! I love you! I love I-no! Now what's your name?!" Shikamaru asked slowly.

"...Ino..."

"Alright then," he said. "Then it's obvious that you're the one I love!"

"..."

"Why are you so paranoid when Temari comes to Konoha?"

"It's because we're so alike. Maybe you'll just get tired of me one day and decide to leave me for her," she said sadly.

"I won't," he said. "And you're not like her."

"Yes I am. The only difference is...she's probably better for you," she mumbled quietly.

"Give me examples."

"...We're both bossy except she's nicer to you."

_Ino, you're nice to me too. Dad was right. Even the most violent woman is tender to the man she loves, _Shikamaru thought. _You _are _gentle _and_ nice and-_

"And plus, we're both blonds. Except everyone says she looks better with you."

_Who the heck says _that? _I don't ever hear that around Kono-_

"And we're both energetic except Temari's lazy sometimes just like you. And I'm always too loud and troublesome. But it's just the way I am and I can't change that. Temari doesn't have to," she mumbled as she looked at the ground.

"Ino," he said, lifting her chin up so his gaze met hers. "You both may be bossy but Temari is controlling and I know you're just bossy because you care. Plus, you have a sweet side that you show sometimes. You're nicer than her."

"Yeah but-"

"And," he said, covering her mouth. "I don't know what you've been hearing but everyone says we are the better-looking couple and that we belong together. For example: Me, my parents, Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, me, your parents, me, Kiba, Lee, Naruto, me, Chouji, Tsunade, Kakashi, me, Asuma, Gai, Kurenai, me, Shizune, the villagers, some random girl named STG (A/n-hehe) and also, did I mention me?"

She smiled slightly as he let her mouth go.

"And anyway, your energy keeps me in balance and I love your voice even when it's yelling. And finally...yes, you are more troublesome," he saw her face drop. "But...that's not always a bad thing. You're my troublesome Ino. And nothings going to change that."

He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug and then kissed her softly, resting his head on hers afterward.

"Thanks Shika," she said softly. "But-"

"I don't want to hear it," he mumbled into her hair. "It's done. I love you and I always will. And even if you two were the same personality-wise, there's still one more thing that you should remember that will always make you different. You're. Not. Her."

He kissed her again and that was the end of that.

The End

**Okay, well...yeah. Just review.**


	11. The Perfect Place

**Okay, this is it.**

**The Perfect Place**

"Hey, Shika-kun," Ino called to the boy laying on the side of her. She was near his head. Shikamaru looked at her sleepily. "What's the perfect place for you?"

Shikamaru blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, your favorite spot to be in. Where is it?"

"What is up with you and your weird questions?" Shikamaru looked at her curiously.

"What do you mean?" Ino huffed as she crossed her arms. "I don't think they're weird."

"Just two weeks ago, you asked me if I thought dreams are real in different dimensions."

"So?" she looked at him. "Can't you just answer the question?"

"No," he said, laying back down. "Your questions are troublesome and make me think about things that I don't want to. They're too weird and complicated."

"Ooohhhh, come ooonnn Shika-kun," she whined.

"Oooooohhhhh, nooooooo Ino-chan," he said in the same whiney voice. She stuck her tongue out at him. He just smirked.

"Anyway, that was just one example. Remember last week? You just asked me about all those smells, saying stuff like 'Shika, what do _I_ smell like?' and 'Shika, you're a _warm_ smell'. That whole conversation was weird," Shikamaru said, imitating Ino's voice.

"Yeah, well...I thought you'd be happy about that. That so-called weird conversation led to our kiss," she said, leaning towards him. She whispered in his ear, "I believe the words were, 'you're intoxicating."

"Oh, troublesome," he muttered. "Fine...what was the question again?"

She had made a very good point. After all, that question _had _led to them kissing. And he wanted another kiss today so...

"Oh no, that's okay. You just don't get a kiss today," Ino said teasingly, knowing the shadow boy was too lazy to try and steal one. That or too scared to go against her. Either way, it worked out.

"Inooooooo," Shikamaru whined and she looked at him, very surprised. She had never seen the Nara boy whine.

"Shika-kun...did you just...whine?!" she exclaimed.

"Troublesome," he seemed to be back to his regular self and he looked back towards the sky. "Just tell me what you said."

"But...Shika-kun...did you just...whine!!?" she exclaimed again.

He rolled his eyes. "Hn."

Ino just let it go and giggled. "Who would've thought it? Shika-kun...whining? Hahaha."

"Just tell me the question," Shikamaru said, annoyed that he had actually whined. What was he, whipped? He couldn't believe he whined just because of what she said. Tch, who was he kidding? He needed her kisses, _every day. _End of story.

"Fine...what's your favorite place? It can be a place that you're happy in, a place that's just calm and relaxing or beautiful or even a restaurant...but give the reason why," Ino said as she pulled Shikamaru's head into her lap and took his hair out of the ponytail. He closed his eyes as her hands combed through his hair and a lazy smile appeared on his face.

"Wait...so it can be any place?" he asked to be sure.

Ino sighed. "Yes, it can be any place."

"Okay...so the perfect place for me would be..." Shikamaru trailed off, thinking as she rolled her eyes. She looked up at the sky and went into her own thoughts.

_Even though Shika-kun told me he loved me the day after that "intoxicating" kiss...I don't think he really truly meant it. I'm still troublesome to him...but then...he _did _say that it was in a good way. And Shika-kun said he hated liars but...still. He'll probably say that his favorite spot is...something to do with clouds. He won't say anything about me...Not even 'Any place with you is my favorite, Ino-chan' I bet he wouldn't even say that. I love him but...he doesn't always act like he loves me. Of course...I _should_ trust him. Maybe he's just new when it comes to these kinds of things. And Shika-kun's real lazy. Yeah, that's probably it, _Ino smiled after reassuring herself but she was still slightly sad. Shikamaru was so unexpressive sometimes.

"Shikamaru, come on! What's your favorite spot already?!" she asked.

He opened his eyes. "Oh...I was waiting for you since you were thinking. I've been ready since the very beginning."

She just sighed. Shikamaru continued "The perfect place for me is in your arms. The reason is because I love you and you're so warm and comforting. And when I'm in your arms, I feel nice and calm."

Ino gasped quietly as she looked down at her boyfried. "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes..." he said, sitting up and looking at her. "Of course. I _do_ love you. And everything else I said is true too."

"Aww...Shika-kun," she hugged him around the waist and then pressed her lips softly against his. His arms wrapped around her tightly and Ino smiled against him. She didn't know why she doubted him. Of course he loved her. So what if he didn't show it often. When he did, it was very convincing.

She finally seperated but Shikamaru refused to let go.

"Shika..." She poked his arm.

"...Mmmm mmm..." he mumbled and shook his head slightly as his grip on her tightened. Ino just giggled.

"You're so cute like this," she said, begining to play with his hair. "You're my little Shika-kun." she giggled happily as he still held on to her and just mumbled something into her hair.

"That's because this is..." he stopped as he breathed in the scent of her hair.

"The perfect place."

Ino just captured his lips in another kiss.

**The End**

**Okay, well, I don't know where this came from. It just sorta came to me when I saw a fic titled 'The Perfect Place.' I thought it would be good for Shikaino.**


	12. Security Blankets

**Okay, the summary: they're all stuck in a cave. Hehe, just read. There'll be slight Naruhina, Nejiten, and Sasusaku.**

**Security Blanket**

"Ugh, this is all your fault Naruto!!!" Ino yelled in exasperation. "My arm hurts."

"What!? How?!" Naruto demanded. They then proceeded to yell back and forth, making very similar gestures. Tenten sighed and shook her head.

"You guys are like twins," she said. Neji smirked as the two blonds yelled at Tenten about how they had nothing in common and that they didn't even act alike.

"But...they're in sync with each other. How don't they act alike?" Shikamaru said, wincing as they continued yelling. "Troublesome. As if one loud voice wasn't enough."

"Can you two be quiet?" Sakura said, talking to the blonds. "We have to think of a way out of here. And Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"It is your fault so deal with it and shut up! And Ino?"

"Yeah?" Ino looked at Sakura.

"We know it's his fault, so deal with it and shut up!"

"We might as well just stay here for the night and try and find a way out in the morning," Neji said.

"Hyuuga is right. There is a blizzard going on and it's just going to get colder. We need to survive in here," Sasuke said. "First of all, does everyone have at least some food?"

"Yeah," they all chorused. A big checklist appeared next to Neji and he checked 'food' off.

_Funny,_ they all thought. _I don't remember him having a checklist._

"We have blankets and- you know what? Deal with it yourselves. This is the most I've ever talked at one time and I don't like it so...let's just try to live," Sasuke said. "If you don't have something, get help from someone who does."

"OOWWW!!! Shiiikaaaaa-kuuuuuun. That hurt. You said you would just make sure it was okay," Ino whined.

"And it's not okay," Shikamaru answered, poking her arm again.

"Owowowowowow!!!!" she shouted as her eyes started watering. "This is all your fault, Naruto!!!! If you hadn't yelled and caused the rock slide, my arm wouldn't have gotten hurt," she sniffled.

"I think it's broken," Shikamaru pronounced. "Sakura, can you heal it?"

"Only a little," she pressed her hand to Ino's arm as green chakra surrounded it. She wrapped Ino's arm in some bandages in a weird way that kept it stiff so her bones wouldn't become even more out of alignment. "There, now it's just really sprained but at least it's not broken. It'll still hurt. I put it in a sling so don't move it too much."

"Hm," Tenten mumbled, surveying the whole scene while Neji watched her. "Poor Ino."

"Poor me," Neji said. "Stuck in a cave with morons."

Tenten laughed and hit him lightly on the arm. "Don't be mean, Neji-kun."

Neji looked over at the laughing girl, smiling as he watched her. She was so pretty. A loud voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hinaaaaatttaaaaaaa-chaaaaaannnnnnn!!!" Naruto whined. She looked over at him. "I'm cold and I don't have a blanket."

"You can share mine, Naruto-kun," she said as she showed a huge blanket to him. Naruto happily bounced over to her and got under the blanket. They leaned against a wall and ate the ramen that Naruto had packed.

"Look at those two, Sasuke-kun, " Sakura giggled as she pointed out the two to her other teamate who actually managed to get a smile on his face as he was no longer as stoic and emotionless as he was back in their genin days. Probably because of the cherry blossom in his life. They had just started going out a little while ago.

"OoWOwOWowooWOoowwWoOoW," Ino whined, her voice raising and lowering in octaves. "Shika-kun, it still hurts. I need a hug."

"Toublesome," he muttered but hugged her anyway. She put her arms around his waist and pulled herself closer to him, ending up in his lap while the others watched on.

"Listen to Ino," Tenten complained. "I did not need to hear her try and pursue a note not natural to this human world. It's like she needs to show that she's the master of all whining."

"Or maybe it's for a different reason," Sakura smirked. Tenten, Neji, and Sasuke looked at her in confusion.

Sakura smirked again before turning her back on the three. She crossed her arms so her right hand was on the left side of her neck and her left hand was on her right shoulder. She started moving them up and down slightly as she made fake dialouge for the oblivious pair. "Oh, Shika-kun. I love you sooo much." "Mwaaaah." "I love you too, Ino-chan. I'll stay with you forever." "Mwaaah." The other three burst out laughing as Shikamaru and Ino stayed in their hug, not even hearing them. Sakura turned around and started laughing herself. Ino who finally heard, broke away from Shikamaru and looked at the four teens lying on the floor struggling to breath.

"What's so funny?" she asked. They looked at each other and burst out laughing again. Ino pouted and then glared. "Tell me!!"

"No, no," Sakura said. "You don't want to know." She then stuck up her pinky finger and nodded first to Ino and then to Shikamaru and then started laughing again. Ino turned bright red.

"That's not funny, forehead-girl!" Ino yelled, her face still red.

After a few minutes they heard Naruto snoring. They turned around to see he and Hinata sleeping. Naruto was propped up slightly by a pack under his head and Hinata's head was resting on his chest. They were both snoring lightly and there was a small pile of instant ramen packets next to them.

"Kodak moment!" Tenten shouted and whipped a camera out from who know's where. She took the picture and put the camera back. Suddenly, there was a noise outside and the wind howled ferociously. "Brrr, is it j-j-just me o-or is it a l-l-l-lot c-c-c-colder?"

"I-i-it's a l-l-lot colder!" Ino and Sakura said, their teeth chattering. The remaining six teens all took out some blankets, huddling together to keep warm.

"We're all warm but I think Naruto and Hinata should get some extra blankets," Sakura said. They found two extra blankets and put them over the couple who sighed in content as the warmth spread throughout their bodies.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Tenten asked. They all shrugged. "Whatever."

She and Neji lay down since they were nearest each other and sharing blankets. (It was warmer if they shared two blankets on top of both of them.) Sakura and Sasuke did the same. Ino who wasn't tired was still sitting in between Shikamaru's legs as he leaned back against the wall and went to sleep. (They're not facing each other.) After a while, Neji, Shikamaru and Sasuke seemed to fall asleep so Tenten and Sakura both sat up to talk to Ino.

"I wish Shino, Lee, Kiba, and Chouji were here," Tenten said. "Lee has a lot of body heat."

"And Kiba has a big jacket that he wears _over_ a hoodie," Sakura said.

"Chouji always has extra spicy food too," Ino said. "And Shino, he's good at surviving. You know...if all these people weren't here with me, I'd be kind of worried."

"Yeah...I still am a tiny bit," Tenten said. "There is still a blizzard going on and you never know what could happen."

"Yeah, it's times like these that I wish I had my security blanket," Sakura sighed.

"Yeah," Tenten agreed. "I miss mine."

"What's a security blanket?" Ino asked. They stared at her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?!"

"You never had a security blanket?" they asked incredulously.

She shook her head. "What is it?"

"It's a blanket that every little kid s_hould_ have. It's their favorite blanket and it, well...it makes them feel-you know...security," Tenten explained. "You never even had a blanket that you would wrap around you when you felt scared?"

"Nope," Ino said. "Never."

"Not even when you watched a scary movie in your dark house that you would put over you eyes when it was a really scary part?" Sakura asked.

Ino thought about it. What did she use during scary movies? She knew there was something. Something that she would squeeze or cover her eyes with when she was scared. She sighed for she couldn't think of anything. Once again, she shook her head, hitting Shikamaru's chest with her pony-tail. He woke up and yawned slightly.

"Wha...?" he blinked sleepily, causing the girls to giggle.

"Sorry Shika-kun," Ino apologized, making the other two exchange knowing glances. "We were talking about security blankets."

"Troublesome," he rubbed his eyes and sat up straighter now that he was awake.

"So, you never even had a blanket that made you feel safe and warm. Something that you cried on and you felt comfort with?" Tenten and Sakura questioned again. "Something that made you feel happy and fuzzy inside."

Realization dawned on Ino's face. "Oooohhhh, now I know. Yeah, I had a security blanket. Still do. It's Shika-kun!"

The girls stared as Ino hugged the sleepy boy whose eyes widened. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then dug her face into his neck to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. She moved her arms around his neck and his face turned red as he hugged her back and Tenten and Sakura started laughing. Ino just smiled. Because it was true. He was the one she cried on and that she felt security and happiness with. Whenever he was 'wrapped around' her, she felt fuzzy inside and she felt comforted and safe. Shikamaru was Ino's security blanket.

**The End**

**Okay, I'm done. Sorry if you didn't like it.**


	13. My Birthday

**Whooo!!! It's my birthday today!! And to celebrate...well, _me_, I'm going to put myself in the Naruto world! Yay! Anyway, my japanese name is Iyami. Haha, it means 'sarcasm' and I thought it was perfect for me so...here we go!**

**My Birthday**

"WHAT!?!?!!" a girl shouted at the people in front of her.

The girl had shiny, black hair and amber eyes. She was the same height as all the rest of Konoha 11 plus Sasuke. Her skin was tannish and she had canine teeth like Kiba. She wore black cargo pants and a pale blue long sleeved shirt under a short-sleeved black hoodie. The girl's name was Iyami and she was currently shouting at Shikamaru and Ino who were standing in her doorway.

"Troublesome," the boy muttered. Ino smacked him.

"Not the right time," she said in an undertone. She turned back to Iyami. "We kinda...um, forgot it was, you know...today."

"I can't believe you forgot!! I can't belive you didn't get me a present!" the girl continued to shout. "Even Naruto got me a present. And even Sasuke. You have disappointed me greatly!"

"We're sorry Iyami. We thought it was tomorrow," Shikamaru said. Ino nodded.

"Why would you think it was tomorrow?!!" Iyami demanded.

"Because...parties are usually on Saturdays."

"Yeah, but when a birthday is on a Friday, it still counts as the weekend! So the party was obviously going to be today!!! How could you forget my birthday?!!! You guys were supposed to be my friends!!!" Iyami exclaimed.

"You guys are idiots," Sasuke said. "You know there's only three things that make her mad."

"People forgeting about her," Tenten said.

"Hypocrites," Naruto added.

"And, annoying, ignorant, dumb people," Kiba said.

"Unless they can be laughed at," Hinata added.

"Exactly," Iyami said. "And you guys were number 1. Oh my god I'm gonna have an emotional breakdown."

"Um...happy birthday?" Shikamaru said, smiling sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.

"Thanks!!" Iyami said, back to normal. "But, since you didn't get me a present...you have to kiss and I get to take a picture of it."

"Hell no!!" Ino said. Iyami pouted, but then smiled a very evil smile.

"Fine...the decorations will take care of that anyway," she smirked.

"What do you mea...?" Shikamaru and Ino trailed off as they all walked a little further inside and Iyami's hallway came into view.

"What the hell?" Ino said quietly, staring at something. Up on the ceiling were a bunch of mistletoes except they were blue instead of red.

"Like em? I call them mistlefingers!" Iyami said happily. "So guess what?! The first thing to do is make it to the living room without having to kiss someone. If you don't get caught under one, you get a prize. If you do get caught...you get the prize of...kissing someone. Yeah, that's it!"

"B-but...t-there are like, a thousand!" Chouji said.

"Nonsense," Iyami said, whistling innocently as she pushed a bag titled 'a thousand red mistletoes' and a bottle of blue spray paint under the table with her foot. "So...the first people will be of my choice. We'll split you all in half, kay?"

"No, that's n-"

"Okay, so the first half will be Kiba, Hinata, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Lee," Iyami said, cackling evilly as she got a camera out.

"NOOOOO!!!" Sakura said. "There's a 20 percent chance I might kiss Lee!!"

"NOOOOO!!!" Sasuke said. "There's a 20 percent chance I might kiss anyone!!"

"That's actually a 99.9 percent chance since you said anyone, not just one person like Sakura," Naruto stated. Everyone's face was like o.O as they all wondered when Naruto got so smart?

"Yeah," Iyami said slowly. "Right, so let's begin."

(Insert noises of disgust, surprise, and enjoyment.)

"Okay, the prize goes to...drumroll please," Iyami said. Chouji started drumming on his stomach. "No one!!! Isn't that great?!!"

"..."

See, the results were as follows: Sakura kissed every boy. Hinata kissed every boy except Lee. Naruto kissed both girls. Sasuke did too. So did Kiba. Lee, sadly, only kissed Sakura. Or...maybe that wasn't so sad. (Not for him, at least.)

"Okay, next group!" Iyami said cheerfully. "You know what to do."

(Insert noises of disgust, surprise, and enjoyment.)

"Okay, the prize goes to Shino! Only he, the biggest social outcast ever, would be able to avoid kissing someone under about a thousand mistlefingers," Iyami said.

"We get a prize too," Shikamaru and Ino said. Iyami looked over. They were standing on the ceiling and hopped down to join the others in the living room. Iyami glared.

"I hate you. You ruined my chance of getting a picture of my all-time favorite couple. Do you enjoy crushing my dreams?" Iyami said dramatically. "I got my other three favorites (Nejiten, Naruhina, and Sasusaku) plus a few others but you just couldn't let me get my favorite, could you? Nope, you had to let my hope get all the way up before you knocked it all the way back down. It was like she was on top of Mt. Everest and then a giant Shikamaru and Ino come and pick Hope up and throw her all the way down the mountain."

"Since when was 'hope' a she?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"You know I get emotional when it comes to Shikaino. Now, let me have my moment!" Iyami went on to start sobbing. "I was so close! It would've beaten even the best fanart because it would've been REAL. An actual picture of my actual favorite pairing actually kissing...actually!"

"There, there," Sasuke said as he patted Iyami's back. Once again, everyone's face was like o.O as they wondered where Sasuke got so...nice.

"T-thanks Sasuke," Iyami said as she sniffled one last time. She immediately became happy again and an evil smirk once again appeared on her face. "I almost forgot about the games. You two, mark my words. You will kiss by the time this sleepover is over. You just. Mark. My. Words."

"Iyami, I don-"

"Mark them!!!" Iyami shouted. "Cause now it's time to play...truth or dare."

"Wow, that was unexpected," Neji said sarcastically.

"I know!!" Naruto exclaimed. Everyone sweatdropped.

"Alright, I'll spin," Iyami said as she attached an invisible string to the bottle and made it land on Shikamru. "Okay, I dare you to...oh, I don't know, ki-"

"Kick Naruto," Ino cut in. Iyami glared and if looks could kill, Ino would be dead, then revived, then cloned, then burned, then her clone would've been disintegrated, then buried, then revived again, then shredded, then beaten to a centimeter of her life, then finally fed to gargutran spiders.

"Okay!" Shikamaru said happily.

"New game!!" Iyami declared after a few more rounds of not being able to get them to kiss. "Seven minutes in heaven. Except this isn't seven minutes and all you have to do is kiss. This time, you have to draw straws to figure out your partner and there'll be one that's extra small. If you get that, you don't have to kiss anyone."

Everyone was done picking except Ino. Iyami smiled maliciously. This was sure to work!! She had just taken up reverse psychology.

"Oh, Ino," she said tauntingly. Ino looked at her. "I wouldn't pick the one on the left if I was you."

"Oh?" Ino questioned. "Alright, then I'll pick the left."

"But I said _not_ to pick the left," Iyami said.

"I know but it's reverse psychology so I know you want me to think that you want me to pick right," Ino trailed off as Iyami just stared. "Unless..._that's_ what you want me to think so in reality you were being serious and you just want me to think that you _do_ want me to pick the one on the left so that I'll pick it. And _you_ knew that I would think that you knew that I thought that you wanted me to pick the right. But, it's not going to work!"

"Huh?"

"I'll pick the right."

"..." Iyami smiled slightly.

"Oh, wait...you just smiled so...that means that you knew what you weren't doing. Or...what you _were _doing. And so now I know that you think that I think that you know that I'm going to pick the right."

"What?!"

"Exactly! I'm picking the right."

"Your logic is..."

"Right it is," Ino reached for the right straw.

"Whoo!" Iyami said when Ino's hand was on it.

"You know, you're using _quadruple_ reverse psychology! And it's not going to work because I'm picking left," Iyami's eyes widened, something they hadn't been doing before. "Psyche!!! Right!!"

And with that, Ino yanked the straw out of Iyami's right hand.

"Dag it all!!!!!" Iyami exclaimed.

"I don't have to kiss anyone!!! Oh yeah!!" Ino cheered as she held up the straw triumphantly.

"Hmpf," Iyami sulked in a corner. The people were: Neji and Tenten, Sasuke and Sakura, Naruto and Hinata, Kiba and Shino, and Chouji and Lee.

"The boys don't have to kiss each other," Iyami said. The boys sighed in relief. "So now, we'll play...'Twisted Simon Says'."

"What is that?!" Naruto asked.

"It's Truth or Dare without the truth just like Questions and Confessions is Truth or Dare without the dare now shut up and play Twisted Simon Says!" Iyami explained/exclaimed. "I'll be simon. We'll go around in a circle."

The order after Iyami was, Naruto, Shino, Hinata, Sasuke, Neji, Sakura, Chouji, Kiba, Tenten, Lee, Ino, and Shikamaru.

"Okay, finally it is Ino's turn," Iyami said. "Simon says hug Shika."

"No kiss?" they asked.

"That's what Shikamaru is for," Iyami siad. "Now, Shika kiss Ino."

"You didn't say simon says," Shikamaru smirked. "Now it's back to Naruto."

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" _**A scream was heard throughout the universe. "Well, I still have a few things left like...time for dinner!!"

Everyone's face was like: WTF?!

"We're having ramen in jumbo bowls and people have to share since they're so huge. I thought everyone was together so I bought four jumbo bowls and five small bowls," Iyami said innocently. "Oh well, I guess Shino, Lee, Chouji, Kiba, and me will have to have...the little bowls!"

"Well, I don't mind sharing with Hinata!!" Naruto shouted. Hinata blushed.

"And I don't care. We're already going out," Neji said, gesturing to he and Tenten.

"Hn," Sasuke just shrugged. Sakura was literally bouncing in her seat.

"So, I guess that leaves Shikamaru and Ino!!!!" Iyami jumped up happily.

"What's this got to do with kissing?" Ino asked suspiciously.

"Mm-mm," Iyami shrugged, looking innocent.

It was quiet as they all began eating. About twenty minutes later, they were almost done eating and Ino and Shikamaru didn't seem to notice that they were eating the same noodle until they came nose to nose. They quickly separated, blushes on their faces.

"OMFG!!! What the hell does it take to get these two to kiss?!!?!?!" Iyami shouted to the ceiling. Everyone inched away slowly.

"O...kay...I think...I'm done..." Iyami said, breathing in very deeply. "Let's...cut the cake and open my presents."

"The first present is from Chouji," Iyami unwrapped it. "Oh thank you!!! You got me cheez-its!! And it's the three-pound box!! I love you!! As a fellow lover of snacks. Now the next one is from Sasuke. It's...socks. Thanks Sasuike."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded. Sakura smacked him, "That's a horrible gift."

"It's okay. They have wolves on them," Iyami said. "Now the next is Tenten. She got me a set of kunai with wolf head handles. Sakura gave me a blue shirt with black flowers. Ino gave me the matching pants and some hair clips. Hinata gave me a white shirt with lavender flowers on it. Thanks you guys. Neji gave me a diary. It's so pretty. Thanks Neji!"

The diary had her name engraved on the cover in gold. The pages were edged in gold. Wolves bordered where her name and the word _diary_ was.

"Shino got me a book with info on bug species. Lee gave me a photo album full of "youthful" pictures of us. Kiba gave me a stuffed dog. Aw, it's so cute. Thanks. And Naruto gave me a bunch of ramen."

"Not _just_ ramen. It comes in assorted flavors. There's two pork, two chicken, three beef, and four shrimp. Oh and there's also one that's cheez-its flavored," he said.

"OMG, thank you!!" Iyami said.

"Now what are we going to do?" Tenten asked. "We did everything that there is to do at birthdays and it's only 9."

"Let's...watch scary movies. MWUHAHAHA!!!"

"Yay!!" Naruto, Kiba, Neji, Tenten, and Sasuke exclaimed. The girls (other than Tenten) shuddered, Chouji was eating, Shino couldn't care less. Shikamaru was...Shikamaru.

"Whoot!!!" Iyami cheered as she jumped over the back of the sofa and landed on the floor in front of the Tv. _This will definitely get them to kiss because we all know that Ino hates scary movies and who else but Shika will be there to comfort? Hahaha, this will work for sure and if it doesn't work, my favorite snack isn't Cheez-its...and it is._

"Okay, do you want to start with the House of Wax, Silent Scream, Dawn of the Dead, or Scooby-doo on Zombie Island?" Iyami asked, holding up four movie cases.

Sasuke, Neji, Shino, Tenten and Shikamaru's faces were like: **-.-**

"What?!! I personally thought that was kind of scary," Iyami said.

"How was it scary?" Sasuke asked.

"It was scary how I couldn't stop laughing. I mean, come on, cats? With Voodoo dolls? And they weren't even pure cat. They were like some freaky mutant things that were controlling zombies," Iyami laughed. "So what do you guys want to watch?"

"Ooh, Scooby-doo!" Ino said. She was not at all in the mood to watch scary movies in a dark house at night. Especially when Iyami's house was decorated with all kinds of stuff that would look really creepy in the dark.

"Yeah, I-I agree," Hinata stuttered.

"Me too!" Sakura said.

"All those in favor of something else?" Iyami said. Everyone else raised their hands immediately and she smirked inwardly. "Okay, so let's watch all of them!! First one to fall asleep, not that you could during these movies, gets pranked."

And they all sat down to watch the movies. On the couch was, from left to right, Naruto, Tenten, Ino, and Shikamaru. Sitting on the back of the couch behind Ino was Iyami and behind Tenten was Neji. The couch bent to connect to another so it was in the shape of an L. So, next to Naruto on the other couch was Hinata, Kiba, and Sakura. Sitting in front of Sakura was Sasuke. Chouji sat next to him. On the other side, next to Shikamaru, was Shino and Lee. The first movie started and everything was silent. The first scary part came up and Ino screamed but to Iyami's disappointment, she grabbed a pillow instead of Shikamaru. Another part came up. It was extra gorey and scary and Hinata wasn't making any noise which was kind of weird. Everyone looked over to see her traumatized with fear. She was just sitting there, eyes glued to the television as she shook in fear. Naruto moved over and grabbed her hand. She broke out of her trance and looked at him.

"It's okay, Hinata," he said. She nodded slightly and went back to watching the movie but Naruto didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with hers.

_Aw, that's so cute, but DAMNIT, if only Shikamaru would do that for Ino. I can tell she's scared. Maybe not as scared as Hinata but she's the second biggest scaredy cat...so why the hell isn't this boy comforting her?!!!?!!! Doesn't he realize that he's depriving me of Shikaino pictures?!_

"..." Neji had glanced over at Iyami and was now currently watching her face go through a series of expressions. It was kind of scary.

Two hours later, they got to the next movie. This one was really creepy, filled with a bunch of shocking scenes. Right when tension was building up to a high point, Iyami transformed into a wolf and leaned her head so it was right next to Ino's. She started breathing slowly and since she was a wolf, Ino thought it was some kind of creature and she was really, really freaked out. She stood rigid as a board and slowly turned her head and-

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMFG!!!" she shrieked but to Iyami's utter dismay, she just broke Tenten's hand instead of grabbing onto Shikamaru.

"..." All Tenten could do was stare at her hand that was stuck in its disconfigured position. She had her mouth open because she was going to yell out in pain but no noise had come out. "...I... ...a... ...h ..." She tried to say something but the pain was too much and Sakura ended up healing it. Everyone went back to watching the movie.

"Okay, time to go to sleep," Iyami said as she noticed everyone yawning after the thrid movie was over. "So, the sleeping arrangements will be-"

"Wait! _You_ get to do the arrangements!?" Ino demanded.

"Duh!! It's my house and anyway, _you_ didn't get a present so you have no say in this matter whatsoever!" Iyami exclaimed. "So...Ino will sleep on the_ edge _with Shikamaru next to her. Then comes me, then Tenten, Neji, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Chouji, Kiba, Lee, and lastly, Shino.

"What?!!" Ino shouted, looking warily around the dark house.

If she was on the edge, she'd be the first one to be picked off. Not...that she _believed_ in those movies. It was just scary. And that's where the window was. And it was glowing with moonlight and it looked extra creepy. And right next to the window was a plant that partly covered it. It was big and spiky and weird-looking. And then there was the gaping black hole, also known as the open door to the dark, dark hallway.

"Okay, so sweet dreams," Iyami said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," everyone replied.

"Sleep tight," she said. Then in a low voice, "Don't let the creatures bite."

Someone whimpered and since it was coming from her right and since she was on her back, she assumed it was Ino.

2 hours later

Two hours later, Ino was still awake, staring at the dark hallway. Even though it was scary looking at it, she couldn't take her eyes off, for fear of something coming out right after she looked away. She shuddered slightly as she rememberedone scene and buried her head under the blankets. That didn't help because as soon as she did, she imagined someone was watching her. She took her head out and almost screamed as she saw the silhouette of a cat outside of the window. She turned around to see everyone sound asleep. She was really wondering how Hinata was sleeping but dismissed it after she remembered that Hinata was in between her protective older 'brother' and her protective crush-that-liked-her-back-but-hadn't-asked-her-out. Sakura was in between her teammates and she was sleeping happily. But not Ino. She was next to a heavy sleeper for a teammate who wouldn't wake up even if she screamed while she was being dragged away by the zombies...not that she _believed _in them. And she didn't even have anyone on the other side of her. She was definitely not going to sleep any time soon.

"Omg omg omg omg omg omg omg," she kept mumbling as she rocked back and forth, clutching her knees to her chest as if that would shield her from monsters...that _still_ don't exist.

"Ino?" a voice mumbled sleepily.

A figure appeared next to her and Ino's eyes widened in fear. "Aieeee!!"

"Ino!" Shikamaru whispered furiously as he put a hand over her mouth. "Shut up, would you? Gosh, why are you still up?!"

"I-I...I'm just- nothing! I-I'm fine," she stuttered out as she crossed her arms and looked away.

"Oh," Shikamaru shrugged. He turned and started to lay down. "Alright."

"No! Wait, I'm not okay!" she said hurriedly. He sat up again and sighed.

"Then why didn't you say that?"

"I-I...I was embarrassed," she hung her head. She whispered, "And I'm just really, really scared. Damn Iyami for putting me on the edge."

"What are you scared of?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"E-everything. All those movies scared me," she said, glancing around the room.

"Even Scooby-doo?" Shikamaru asked.

"Stop playing, Shika! This is serious!" Ino said.

"Trou-" Shikamaru was going to say but one look at Ino made him stop. She looked terrified. "Well, what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know. You're my best friend and you're supposed to know me better than myself so you think of something," she said.

He rolled his eyes. Was she watching those corny soap operas again? "You're supposed to know me better than myself"? What kind of crap is that? He sighed and pulled Ino into his arms. She pulled away.

"W-What are you doing?" she asked, a blush on her face.

He sighed again. "I'm trying to comfort you. I have no idea of what else I could do."

"..." Ino didn't say anything to that. So they sat like that.

"All you have to do is think of something better," Shikamaru said after a while.

"I can't think of anything. What is there to think abo-" she was cut off as Shikamaru pressed his lips against hers. Ino closed her eyes and relished the feeling of bliss. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged his body closer to hers. They finally broke apart and smiled as they stared at each other. The silence was broken when Iyami decided to shout.

"OH YEAH!!! I GOT A PICTURE OF INO AND SHIKAMARU_ **KISSING**_!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG **_OMG_**, I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO **_HAPPY_**!!! NOTHING COULD RUIN TODAY!!!! THIS IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!! **_WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO_**!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!! AN ACTUAL PICTURE OF MY ACTUAL FAVORITE PAIRING ACTUALLY KISSING!!!! LOOK AT THE ANGLE!!! LOOK AT THE EXPRESSIONS!!! OH, AND THAT LIGHT!!!! THE BACKGROUND LOOKS SO GOOD WITH THE MOONLIGHT IN IT!!!!! IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!!" Iyami danced around the room showing the picture to the now awake ninjas. Then she did her happy dance which was usually only reserved for cheez-its but this! This was almost better!

Iyami ran up the stairs to frame the treasured picture and Ino just smiled at Shikamaru. "Goodnight Shika...I love you."

"Love you too. Night."

The End

Okay, I know this wasn't really fluffy or whatever but this was just supposed to be what would (most likely) happen if I lived in the Naruto world and they came over for my B-day. And a lot of things had to do with wolves because in a new story I have, Iyami has jutsus that have to do with wolves and wolves are my favorite animals. Anyway, if you have a chance, go read it. It's called 'Stuck in a Land With Idiots'.


	14. Chocolate Bunnies or Chocolate Kisses?

**Whoo!! I can finally update! This is my Easter oneshot. I'm just now updating because the stupid uploading thing didn't work and I had to wait till today. This came to me some random night and so, here we go. And for lack of a better title...**

**Chocolate Bunnies or Chocolate Kisses?**

It was another regular spring day in Konoha. The birds were chirping. The animals were...doing animal things. The sun was shining. The clouds were moving. The lazy bum- I mean Shikamaru was sleeping and last but not least, Ino was waking him up.

"Shika-kun!" she exclaimed. He blinked his eyes open with a, "what do ya want?"

"Come on!!! Let's go!!" Ino said happily, dragging him down the streets of Konoha.

"Ino...wha?" Shikamaru, having just been woken up, was still confused.

Ino linked her arm into his and they walked down the street, everyone glancing at the couple. Ino remained oblivious as she smiled cheerfully at Shikamaru. "We're going to have an easter egg hunt."

"Er...Ino, aren't we just a_ little _too old for easter egg hunts?" Shikamaru asked, attempting to take his arm out of her grasp.

"Too old for free candy? Nonsense," she tightened her hold. "You're coming with me. The rest of Konoha 12 is already there."

"But...I don't- wait! Even Neji?!" Shikamaru was astonished.

"Yeah! Tenten got him to come," Ino said. "You know, I think they like each other," she said right before she launched into a big explanation about all the couples she thought should get together.

"Wait! Ayame and Chouji!?" Shikamaru exclaimed. She looked at him, "Yeah. He loves food, she cooks food. Simple as that." Ino shrugged and Shikamaru just sweatdropped.

"We're here!!" Ino announced as she dragged Shikamaru into a big, flowery, tree...y...field.

"Good," Asuma said. "And before any one of you asks why we're here, it's because it's to...promote friendship and plus...it's training in a way."

"How?" Sasuke and Neji asked.

"These eggs are hidden in very clever spots, us being ninja and all. Some are even in a genjutsu so you'll have to use you and your teammate's skills efficiently," Kakashi said. "Now for the teams-"

"I'm picking," declared Kurenai. "Kiba and Shino can't be together. They both have great abilities for something like this. Kiba goes with Chouji. The food will distract him and Lee goes with Shino because...whatever. Hinata, Sasuke, and Neji can't go together in any kind of combination."

"Yay!!" shouted Naruto as he dashed over to Hinata. He put a finger to her forehead. "DIBS!!!! I got Hinata-chan!!!!" He then proceeded to hug her while jumping up and down. Hinata giggled as she blushed slightly.

"Naruto-kun, calm down," she said. He stopped and flashed a grin at her.

"I got Shika-kun!!" Ino shouted just as fast as Naruto. She poked his cheek, laughing at the face he made.

"Ooh," Sakura said in a teasing voice. "Why'd you pick him?"

"Cause he's my best friend and he's smart," Ino looked at Sakura as if she was dumb. "And," she started, an evil grin on her face. "I know how much you wanted to be paired up with your _Sasuke-kun_."

Sakura blushed and mumbled something as she pushed her fingers together. Naruto looked at her, very surprised. "Hey! That's Hinata-chan's thing. You can't take it! Only she looks cute doing that!!" Hinata blushed as Naruto put one arm around her waist as if to protect her as he pointed a finger accusingly at Sakura.

"Ooh!! Me and Neji-kun!!" a voice said. They all turned to see...Sasuke. He, noticing their weird stares, sweatdropped and moved to the side to reveal...Tenten!! Haha, had you going there for a second, huh?

"Hn," Neji walked over to where Tenten was standing. Obviously, Sasuke and Sakura ended up together.

"Okay, you may start!!!" Asuma said. "Oh, and none of you can leave until you find every single egg."

"How many are t-"

"And we're not telling you how many there are! We'll know when we count!!" Asuma said again. _Because _I_ don't know how many. _He turned to Gai and whispered, "How many _did_ you hide?"

"Oh...one hundred youthful eggs!!" Gai exclaimed in a whisper. The senseis' eyes widened. He, not noticing, continued on, "I was thinking at first, hey let's make it a thousand...but then I thought, this was supposed to be fun with a little bit of training so I only hid one hundred...though now I'm starting to think maybe I shoulda just hid one thousand anyway. Do you think, maybe, I should get more-"

"No!!" The senseis shouted. Kakashi cleared his throat, "That is...don't you think the game would be _more_ youthful if they actually got to eat the candy today? _That _way, it'd be fresh with the youthfulness of their triumph of getting all the youthful...eggs full of...passion and candy and fiery youthful candy full of passion. They'd find the youthfulness of the wonder of sweets...and joy and...joyness," Kakashi didn't know what he was talking about but it seemed to sway Gai's decision anyway.

"PERFECTLY YOUTHFUL!!!" he shouted. "You are right Kakashi!! They need the YOUTHFULNESS and SATISFACTION of eating the YOUTHFUL chocolates today. Let them fill their mouths with sugary goodness!!"

"...Yeah," Kakashi sweatdropped and whipped out his book. Kurenai and Asuma sat down next to him and started chatting about this and that as they watched the kids gathering eggs.

"Sasuke-kun! I see one over here!" Sakura shouted happily. Sasuke rolled his eyes but smirked, "Then pick it up."

She stuck her tongue out playfully and he smirked again.

"Shika-kun! You're supposed to be a genius! Think of something. Where would they hide the eggs?" Ino asked.

"Troublesome," he muttered. He turned to the girl. "Ino, we're doing just as good as everyone else. Jeez, calm down. It's just a game. How old are you again?"

Shikamaru turned back to the tree they were at and didn't notice Ino's blush. She _was _going a little far.

"Darn it! We keep getting kisses!" Ino said. "Everytime I open an egg, all there is is kisses."

"Hm...it seems as though Tenten and Neji have the same problem," Shikamaru mused as he stared at the couple, temporarily forgetting about the eggs. Ino straightened up and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened as she saw Neji and Tenten making out against a tree. Shikamaru and Ino tilted their heads to the left and then to the right, confused looks on their faces as they stared. Then they snapped out of it and went back to the eggs.

"Hinata-chan!! I found another egg!!" Naruto said. He and Hinata didn't seem to be concerned at all about winning. "Look!! It looks just like a fox!!"

Hinata giggled, "Yeah, it does Naruto-kun...how many eggs do you have?"

"Um...about 7...how many do you have?" Naruto turned to his girlfriend.

"8," Hinata answered as she went back to looking. Now that may not seem like a lot but if you do the math...there are 100 eggs and 6 groups of 2. 100 divided by 6 is 16 something and Hinata and Naruto together have 15. So, they're pretty close to winning.

"Darn it!!" Ino exclaimed. "We keep getting all these kisses!!"

"What's wrong with kisses?" Shikamaru asked, furrowing his eyebrows as he thought about how wrong that would sound to somebody who didn't know what was going on.

"I don't know," she said. "It's just annoying to get all of the same candy. Naruto and Hinata got a bunch of bunnies. I want some of those. Kisses are boring."

_But...it's all chocolate! What's the difference!? They all get eaten in the end, _Shikamaru thought. _And how can chocolate be boring?! You just...eat it!!_

"Kisses aren't boring," Shikamaru said. "Candy rabbits would be boring after a while too."

"I don't care...they're still boring."

"No they're not."

"Yes they are," Ino insisted.

"Nuh-uh," he muttered.

"Yuh-huh," she turned to look at them.

"No they're not," he said, straightening to look at her.

"Yes they are!" Ino exclaimed, completely forgetting about said objects.

"No they aren't!" Shikamaru said as well.

She approached him. "Yes. They. Are."

"No. They're. Not," he said, getting all in her face.

"Yes they ARE!!" she screamed.

"No they're not!!" he said. "Because kisses can't be boring. It's just chocolate. Stop ruining logic!"

"I'm not because they are!!" Ino said.

"No they're not," he said.

"Yes they-" she was cut off by Shikamaru's lips pressing against hers. Her mind immediately went blank as she responded. Without even realizing, she had taken his hair out of it's ponytail and he had wrapped his arms firmly around her waist. She opened her mouth slightly and their tongues fought for dominance. Her hands finally untangled themselves from his hair and Ino wrapped them around his neck. They finally separated, panting for breath.

"...Are not," he breathed, looking in her eyes.

She smiled slightly. "Fine...you win. They're not boring." And she gave him a peck on the lips. She separated but he came back for more and they started another kiss. It was broken by a whistle and a "didn't think you had it in ya!"

They jumped apart immediately and looked around wildly, their eyes finally coming to rest on Hinata and Naruto who were laughing.

"We were...talking about how she thought kisses were boring," Shikamaru mumbled truthfully as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "She wanted some chocolate bunnies and I said the kisses were still chocolate and that it didn't make a difference. So...you know...of _course _I had to prove her wrong...kisses aren't boring."

"Oh!!" Naruto exclaimed. "You have kisses!?! Can I have some!!?" he held out a hand and grinned. Hinata giggled at his short attention span.

"No way!!" Shikamaru hugged Ino to him as he pulled her away from Naruto. "The kisses she gives are **_mine_**!!!"

Ino blushed and smiled at Shikamaru's possessiveness. Hinata giggled again.

Naruto sweatdropped. "Er...Shikamaru...I was talking about the _candy._"

**The End**

**Okay, I have NO idea where this came from. I must've been really bored. But...I like that ending. I thought it was kind of funny how Shika was all clueless. Anyway, leave a review.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, just read.**

It was a beautiful, spring day and Shikamaru was just sitting down when Ino-

ATTENTION!! We interrupt this oneshot to bring you this! Aki-chan's extremely late b-day present! (Audience applauses hesitantly) Now I know this is a month late but my excuse-I mean reason...who's thinking about you when all your candles have gone out, all the cake is eaten, all your presents are opened, and everyone has gone home? Hm...who's thinking about you then? I'm glad to say that's me! I know, I care _so_ much right? So anyway, I've gathered a bunch of characters and they will be participating in a sort of game show dedicated to Aki-chan! That's right, it's all about her. They'll be on teams and be answering questions about her. And now-

Ino: Hi Aki-chan!

Me: Ino-chan, you're my favorite kunoichi and all but shut the hell up!! I never introduced the contestants or the teams yet. You're ruining the whole atmosphere.

Ino: Where's Aki-chan?

Me: (ignores her) Anyway, we'll be able to see Aki-chan in that TV over there. (points to big giant TV screen in the middle of the wall.) Now if you want to say something to her, she can answer you back. Now, the questions I'll be asking you are about fanfiction and maybe I'll throw in some Deviantart. This is all about how well you know Aki-chan. Now...any questions about the game?

Ino: Yeah...why-

Me: Do you keep asking questions and bothering me? I don't _know_. I was thinking it was some kind of mental problem but...who really knows? Anyway, any _other_ quest-

Ino: No! Why didn't she answer me?

Me: (resists urge to strangle Ino) ...She was _**probably**_ respecting my wishes to be quiet while I explain the game unlike SOMEONE I KNOW!!!

Ino: ...

Me: Now...let's...get started. Introducing the teams: The first team is Sasuke and Sakura. Second is Neji and Tenten. The third is Shikamaru and Ino. The fourth is Naruto and Hinata, fifth is Gaara and Kiba, the sixth is Lee and Chouji and the seventh is Temari and Kankuro. I, SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl, also know as Troublesome-chan or STG will be your host along with-

Ino: Hey! That's a good nickname! Troublesome-chan...I like it! Shika-kun should call me that!

Me: (says darkly) Shut. The. Hell. Up. (Happy and bright again) Anyways! The rules are: if you answer a question correctly, you'll get 10 to 50 points. If you annoy me in any way, get a question wrong, or are just plain stupid, you'll lose points ranging from 1 to 30 depending on just how stupid you are. Now, I'll be your host along with Shino who didn't feel like playing and...drumroll please!

Naruto: (tries to drum and fails miserably)

Me: Er...thanks. Anyway, our second host will be Dei-kun!! ...oh yeah...some of you _might_ know him as Deidara...but that's not his _real _name. His real name's Dei-kun!

Everyone: WTF?

Me: Cause I love him oh so very much!! He's my...cuppycake gumdrop!!!

Dei: Thanks, yeah.

Me: No prob...yeah. So everyone before we start, let's say hi to Aki-chan!!

Everyone: HI AKI-CHAN (YEAH)!!!

Aki-chan: Hey everyone!! Shika-kun, you better win!! If you don't know me the best after all we've been through, I'll kidnap you _**again**_!! And this time I'll bring LunarRose _**and**_ Troublesome-chan to help with the torture!

Shikamaru: ...Troublesome...(Shudders slightly as he remembers (refer to Conversations with the Naruto Crew by Tomboy14 and Stuck in a Land With Idiots by me to see just how obsessed with Shika-kun we are and to understand where LunarRose came from.)

Me: And with that, let's begin. We'll start off with an easy question. What's Aki-chan's penname on Fanfiction? Is it A: ShikaxIno4EVA B: Temari'sMyBestFriend or C: Tomboy14?

Sakura: Ooh, I know! It's Tom-

Sasuke: Hn...I want to answer.

Sakura: Hey! No! You don't even know the answer. You just want to be in charge! (mutters) Stupid superiority complex. I thought we got that worked out.

Sasuke: (quite proudly) The answer's A.

Me: Okay, team 2.

Tenten: We're thinking C.

Shikamaru and Ino: Easy...C.

Naruto: I think it's A. (Hinata sighs, shaking her head.)

Gaara: C

Lee: Youthful B!!! I think she would want to proudly proclaim the fact that she was friends with the youthful Temari!! It is most youthful to boast your friendliness!!

Me: (thinking) If only he knew...

Temari: (smiling) I think it's B too. I mean, Aki-chan _loves_ me right?

Me: ...(staring at her while eyebrow twitches) ...

A cricket: (lifts it's leg to start chirping but others stop him.)

Rest of the Crickets: This amount of stupidity needs a moment of total and complete silence.

Me: ...yeah...so, let's tally up the scores. Sasuke, your answer was...

Sasuke: (smirks while thinking) It was right...I know it was.

Me: Wrong. Tenten, you were right. So was Shika and Ino. Naruto, you were wrong too. Gaara was right. Lee and Temari...you were dead wrong. Anyway, second question: What is Aki-chan's favorite couple...A: Shikaino B: NaruSaku or C: LeeHina?

Me: Okay, the only ones to get that right were Team Shikaino, Nejiten, and Naruhina. Third question: What's Aki-chan's name on Deviantart? A: Shikainomaketheworldgoround B: TemariHater or C: None of the above.

Sakura: (Covering Sasuke's mouth) It's None of the-

Sasuke: (Escapes Sakura's grasp) **AAAAA**!!!!!!!!!

Sakura: (muttering) ...Damn you, Uchiha...damn you.

Neji: B

Shika: C

Naruto: B...? (Hinata sighs and shakes her head.)

Kiba: A

Lee: It is not youthful to proclaim hatred for someone. Youthful C!!! A is not youthful because everyone knows that Shikaino doesn't make the world go round-

Me: LIEEEESSSS!!! (points at Lee dramatically)

Lee: What really makes the world go round is...youthful gravity!!!

Me: That would be _inertia_...idiot.

Temari: There's no way Aki-chan likes Shikaino right...? And she doesn't hate me...so it'd have to be C.

Me: (thinking) I hate her dumb luck. I really, really do... (Staring at Temari while shaking head) Her stupidity and obliviousness is simply astounding. (says out loud) Well anyway!! The answer is in fact C because I actually don't know her penname! I didn't feel like looking on Deviantart so...yeah.

Naruto cast: (Sweatdrop)

Me: Anyway, fourth question. What picture on Deviantart is super sexy because Neji and Shika-kun have their hair out and Sasuke isn't in it? Is it A: Konoha No Go B: Sasuke's In It or C: Shika and Neji's Sexy Hair is Out?

Deidara: What does that have to do with Aki-chan, Troublesome-chan?

Me: Absolutely nothing! It's just...I really love that picture!! Everyone go search it now!!

Deidara: ...yeah...(sweatdrop)

Sasuke: I think it's Sasu-

Sakura: (tackles Sasuke to the ground) You FOOL!!! It can't be_ that_!! It's C, Troublesome-chan!!!

Tenten: C

Ino: A

Hinata: A

Gaara: C?

Lee: C

Temari: B...?

Crickets: ...

Me: Okay, well Sakura, you were wrong.

Sasuke: See?! I should've-

Me: Sasuke you would've been wrong too. Let's not be stupid.

Sasuke: ...

Me: Tenten, you were wrong too. Ino and Hinata, you were right. Gaara and Lee, you were wrong. Temari...you're an idiot...and you were wrong. Now Deidara, do you want the next question?

Deidara: Yay! Yeah. Okay, yeah...the fifth question is...yeah. Aki-chan frequently talks about a hot picture of who..._A_Neji and Shikamaru_B: _Sasuke and Sai or _C_Shino and Lee...yeah?

Sasuke: ...Shin-

Sakura: (knocks Sasuke out) I am definitely answering!! It's Sasuke and Sai!!!

Neji: Sasuke and Sai. (thinking) Ew...what if it was Shikamaru and _me_!? (...If only he knew.)

Ino: Shika-kun and Neji.

Naruto: Shino and Lee...?

Hinata: (Sighs and shakes her head.)

Kiba: Shino and Lee?! That's so funny!! HAHAHA- Oh...WAIT!!! That's not my answer!!! I didn-

Lee: Me and Shino? Is the youthful picture of me and Shino training? Is that why it is _hot_? Because we got hot after training under the burning and youthful sun? I hope there's a hot picture of me and Neji with me ending up on top!!

Me: Oh god. I think I'm going to throw up!!

Deidara: (Already throwing up) The mental images!! (clutching head as he screams in anguish.)

(For anyone who didn't get that, Lee meant a picture of him fighting Neji with him ending up victorious.)

Me: It's okay Dei-kun!! Just think of happy thoughts! Think. Happy. Thoughts!! Think about making the best clay sculpture ever!! Think about it blowing up!! Think about it killling millions of innocent people!! Think about the moment before and after it detonates!! All the terror and screaming and...I sound really evil right now...Oh well, it's to save my Dei-kun's mind. Okay, now that _that's _over...Temari?

Temari: um...Shikamaru and Neji?

Me: Wow, so Temari actually got it right. And so did Ino. Alright sixth question...Shino?

Shino: What is Aki-chan's least favorite couple A: Shikamaru and Temari B: Kiba and Hinata or C: Neji and Tenten?

Shino: Alright...Everyone got it right except Temari who voted C and Naruto who voted B.

Naruto: (whining while Hinata sighs and shakes her head) But...of _course_ she doesn't want to see my Hinata-chan with _Kiba_!!! Right!? Right!?!! Aww man. That's so unfair!!

Me: Seventh question. In my favorite chapter of Conversations With the Naruto Crew, who was a big hypocrite and didn't realize that Shika-kun was sexy? A: Sakura B: Forehead girl C: Pinky D: All of the above E: Girl who I (as in STG) don't like sometimes or F: None of the above?

Sasuke: C

Sakura (glares and punches Sasuke) He meant A.

Neji: C

Ino: (Smirks) B

Hinata: A?

Gaara: A

Chouji: D

Temari: E?

Me: No! You're all wrong. The answer is pink-haired cockroach!!

Sakura: (in tears) ...W-what?

Me: No I'm just kidding. But the real answer is D and Chouji's the only right one. Gosh, be smart sometimes, people. All the choices were talking about the same thing...I mean person.

Temari: But what about E?

Me: What _about_ E? Anyone who knows me would've immediately disregarded that because it wouldn't say 'who I don't like sometimes'. It would say 'who I _hate _sometimes.' No offense Sakura. I happen to like you at this point in time.

Sakura: Yay!

Me: Of course...that _could _change. You're still pretty annoying sometimes. Especially in the Sasuke department but whatever. Let's continue. Eighth question, Who does Aki-chan think is sexier: A: Shika-kun, B: Neji, or C: Sasuke-teme.

Sasuke: C without the teme

Me: You're automatically wrong, then. The teme is included.

Sasuke: But if Aki-chan thinks I'm sexy, she wouldn't call me a teme.

Me: That's actually not true. Because plenty of people think you're a sexy bastard...me not being one of them...you're just a bastard. Anyway, this is _my_ show and I'll run it the way I want!!

Sasuke: But-

Me: (sighs) ...shut the hell up. No one cares about you anyway.

Tenten: B

Ino: Shika-kun

Naruto: B? (Hinata sighs and shakes her head)

Kiba: A

Lee: C...?

Temari: A!!!!

Me: As much as this pains me to say, Temari was right. So was Ino and Kiba. Ninth question, what's my favorite story of Tomboy14? Is it A: Conversations With The Naruto Crew or B: Horrors of a Fanclub?

Sasuke: A...? I'm not in the other one so...

me: (thinking) Wasn't he listening when I said he was a sexy bastard without the sexy? (sigh) Idiot.

Neji: B

Shikamaru: B

Hinata: B

Gaara: A

Chouji: A

Temari: A

Me: Sasuke, you're an idiot.

Sasuke: But, a sexy idiot.

Me: No...just an idiot. You were wrong. So was Gaara, Chouji, and Temari.

Temari: B-but...I'm not in B. And isn't that about Shikamaru and Ino getting over obstacles like fangirls and me. Don't they eventually get together? Why is that your favorite?

Me: ...(Clears throat and ignores question) ... ...Now for the tenth and most important question...which is true about both Aki-chan and me...A: We love Shikamaru B:We want Temari to die  C: Our current favorite couple is Shikaino D: All of the above or E: None of the above.

Sasuke: ...D

Neji and Tenten: D

Shikamaru and Ino: D

Hinata: D-

Naurto: _**E**_!!! It's a TRAP!! (insert sweatdrop)

Kiba: D

Lee: C. It's not youthful to want someone to die and I _know_ that Aki-chan and you are youthful. You wouldn't want someone to die. (insert innocent whistle)

Temari: A

Me: Well...Surprisingly, Naruto was right. We don't love Shikamaru, we _**worship**_ him. We don't want Temari to die, we _**need **_her to. And Shikaino isn't our current favorite couple, it's our current _**obsession**_. Now to tally up the marks, it seems as though Temari and Kankuro have won.

Shikamaru and Ino: WTF?!!

Me: Juuuust kidding!! You two won with...20 points.

Ino: What?! How'd we only get 20 points!!?

Me: Well...remember all the way in the beginning when I said that you guys would get points taken off if you annoyed me?

Ino: ...Oh...shit...

Shino: ...Yeah...

Deidara: ...Yeah...

Me: Yeah... so really you started the game with like, negative 100 points. That's how you only got 20 points. You were so annoying that by the time you finished, you were only 20 points into the positive side! In second place was Neji and Tenten and Gaara and Kiba. Third place was Naruto and Hinata. And that's it!

Sasuke: What?!

Sakura: What about us?!

Me: What _**about **_you?

Sakura: What was our ranking?

Me: Is it even _**important **_enough?! We all know you didn't make it to third place so what's the point?!

Sakura and Sasuke: ...

Me: _**Is**_ it important?

Deidara: Nope...yeah!

Sasuke: I still want to know.

Me: (sigh) Well, in fourth place is (not that it's an accomplishment) Chouji and Lee. And in fifth is Temari and Kankuro and Sasuke and Sakura tied.

Sasuke: Are you _**serious**_?!

Me: Yup! Dead! See, I _tried _to save you the shame but_** noooo**_. You just had to go all macho and attempt to save the little piece of dignity you had left. You were probably thinking (stupidly I might add) "Maybe it'll be some kind of accomplishment if I make the top of the bottom." Well it _wasn't! _Cause you made _**bottom **_of the bottom!! And now you lost _all _of your dignity!!! HAHAHAHAHA, HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM PEACHES, UCHIHA SASUKE!!??!! HAHAHHA!!!!

Deidara: Yeah!! Them peaches, yeah!!!

Sasuke: (sulking)

Sakura: (sweatdrop)

Kiba, Naruto, and Deidara: (laughing loudly)

Shikamaru, Ino, Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Gaara, Shino, and Chouji: (Giant sweatdrop)

Temari: (in too much depression to notice) Aki-chan hates me? B-but...I thought she _loved _me! (sniff) I'm so hurt! And STG hates me too! Is there anyone out there who loves me?

Audience member who looks suspiciously a lot like a clone of me: No!! So just die already!! (Throws rock and hits Temari on the head.)

Kankuro: (Trying to revive Temari)

Lee: (Ranting about youth)

Gai: (Magically appeared out of nowhere because his Lee-is-giving-a-youth-speech senses were tingling)

Me: Well...this has been an interesting segment of...hey, I never thought of a name for this.

Deidara: Call it 'We Interrupt This Oneshot to Bring You This' Yeah!!

Shikamaru: That's so stup-

Me: (happily) OKAY!! This has been one interesting segment of "We Interrupt This Oneshot to Bring You This, Yeah", hasn't it folks?

Ino: Er...Troublesome-chan...I don't think he meant to include the yeah in the title...

Me: Nonsense! Of course Dei-kun did! He always means to say 'yeah'! Right, Dei-kun?

Deidara: Yeah!

Me: See?

Ino: (Sweatdrop)

Aki-chan: (out of TV and in person) Great job guys!! This was a great b-day present!!

Me: Ah, no problem.

Aki-chan: Oh Shika-kun...

Shikamaru: ...yes?

Aki-chan: I'm kidnapping you!

Shikamaru: (full of fear) What?! Why?! I won!!

Aki-chan: I know...but... Sadly, it was only by 20 points. (shaking her head as if it pains her to say this) I cannot accept that.

Shikamaru: B-but!! But!! but!! ... ... ...But!

Aki-chan: No buts!! You're coming with me!! (drags Shikamaru away.)

Shikamaru: (struggling and clawing at the ground) NOOOOOO!!!! Ino-chan!!! Hurry!! You must saaaaave mmeeeeee!!!!!!!

Ino: (shaking her head) No can do, Shika-kun!

Shikamaru: (Stops struggling for a second. Too shocked) ...W-what...?

Ino: I said...nope! Maybe Aki-chan will make you even sexier than she did last time!! And...you really were sexy...(drools)

Shikamaru: ...(turns to me) Troublesome-chan?

Me: Sorry, Shika-kun but...I got the same reason as Ino-chan!

Shikamaru: ...(does sexy scowl/pout thing)

Ino: (turns to me) Hey!! He's mine!!

Me: So? A fangirl can dream, can't she?

Ino: ...

Me: Fine, be that way!! I have Kiba anyway! He's not taken! (hugs Kiba)

Kiba: ...Actually... (Scratches his neck awkwardly)

Me: (Gasp) No! Not you too! Fine! I still have Gaara. (hugs Gaara)

Gaara: ...(turns out to be a sand clone and slowly crumbles)

Me: (sobbing) Noooo!!! (sniffs) Fine...I still have...(smiles brightly again) Dei-kun!!! (Hugs Deidara) Right, Dei-kun?!

Deidara: (Hugs back) **YEAH**!!!!

Me: YEAH!! Okay, have fun Aki-chan!!!

Aki-chan: Oh, I will! (Cackles evilly) Time to go Shika-kun!!

Shikamaru: NOOOOOOOOO!!!

Ino: (ignores him) Make him extra sexy, okay?!

Aki-chan: (Salutes Ino) Will do!

Me: Now it's really time to go. This has been "We Interrupt This Oneshot to Bring You This, Yeah!" with our special guest Aki-chan!! This is SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl, AKA Troublesome-chan or STG with Dei-kun signing out!!

**And that's the end!! Hope you like this, Aki-chan!! I couldn't think of a B-day present since I already have a collection of Shikaino oneshots. I had to think of something else and eventually came up with this. I know, really random but hopefully, still enjoyable. And before anyone says anything, no I am not a fucking stalker. It's just that these questions are so obvious. All you have to do is read one story of hers to know the ansers. Plus, Tomboy14 reviews my story and I sorta know a few things about her...like how she's obsessed with Shika-kun. Lol. Anyway, leave reviews peoples! Oh and this oneshot won't count as 1 of the 20. So there'll really be 21 chapters when this is done. Ja ne!**


	16. Hypnotizing, Mesmerizing

**Sorry about the long wait. My computer is a retart and I hate it. Lol, it deleted all my documents off of a disk and said something about not being formatted. But...they're supposed to tell you that BEFORE you put the documents on a disk. Sigh. Read and review please.**

**Hypnotizing, Mesmerizing**

"Tou-san! Play with me!!" A high-pitched voice said loudly. Shikamaru opened his eyes lazily to see a little girl, no older than 5, running up the hill to stand in front of him. She had crystal blue eyes like her mother's but her skin was tanned and her hair was dark like his, though it was fine and thin while his was thick and coarse.

"What?" he blinked sleepily and looked at the girl curiously.

"I said, play with me!" she said, grinning widely and he couldn't help but smile back. She was just like her mother.

"Okay, Inoki-chan," he pulled the girl into his lap and yawned. "What do you want to play?"

"Oh! First, guess what happened at pre-school today!" she said. He just shrugged. "Uzumaki Nariko-chan escaped the classroom! We..."

Inoki went on to explain the whole story. When she was done, Shikamaru just sighed as he shook his head. That Nariko, just like her father. "So? What do you want to play?"

"Hm..." Inoki looked up in thought. "...Ooh, let's play mind control!"

"Okay...um, how do you play again, Noki-chan?" he asked, scratching his head.

Inoki sighed in exasperation. "Tou-san, you got to _listen_ this time _okay_?"

He nodded, refraining from rolling his eyes. Aside from the blue eyes, she also got her bossy personality from her mother.

"It's easy. I hyp'tize you and when you wake up, I'll control you and you'll be...my sercant!!!" She said happily.

"Don't you mean servant?"

"That's what I said, sercant," Inoki nodded. Shikamaru just sighed.

"Then, you'll listen to my every demand!" She finished happily.

He sweatdropped, "Uh, don't you mean command?"

"No demand! Now be quiet and get hyp'tized!" she said. Rather bossily, I might add. He sighed and opted to just being quiet.

Inoki took out a yo-yo and swung it in front of his eyes. "You're getting sleepy. You're getting sleepy. When I snap my fingers, you'll wake up and do whatever I say."

Shikamaru pretended to fall asleep and started snoring quietly. Inoki snapped her fingers and he jumped like he just woke up.

"Now, firs'ly my sercant, put on this crown I made," Inoki said happily as she held out a bright, girly-looking, crown made entirely of flowers. Shikamaru shuddered before, albeit reluctantly, putting the crown on his head.

"Now what, master?" he asked his daughter.

"Hm...sing a song for me!!" Inoki smiled cheerfully.

"Aa...but what song?" Shikamaru asked.

"Umm...Little Bunny Foo Foo," she said. "And dance too!" she added.

"..." Shikamaru sighed. He was doomed. If Kiba saw...He shook his head. He was _not_ going to think about that.

_In the Trees_

Ino giggled to herself as she watched her husband grab the little girl by the hands. They started to dance and Shikamaru started singing Little Bunny Foo Foo while their daughter giggled. Ino laughed herself. It was so funny how Shikamaru tried to hide the moments he had with his daughter. It was like he was embarassed. She didn't know why. She found all the things they did absolutely adorable. Oh well, she shrugged. This is why cameras were invented. She lifted hers up to get a perfect shot of the two.

_Back to Shika_

"So Tou-san...I got a question," Inoki stated. They were sitting back down and she was back in his lap.

"What is it, Noki-chan?" he asked curiously.

"Well...how come you listen to me when I hyp'tize you?" she asked.

He scratched his head. "Because...you hynotized me. You're controlling my mind and...you know, I have to listen."

Inoki sighed exasperatedly, "No, I mean how come you don't listen to me any other times? You listen to Kaa-san all the time. And that's not fair," she crossed her arms and pouted. Shikamaru smiled slightly.

"It's different Noki-chan. You're my daughter so I don't have to listen to you. And your mother is...different..." he trailed off, unable to think of a better explanation.

"But...you _always_ listen to her and I rememer you said that doing chores is troublesome-"

"They are," he interjected.

"But you do chores all the time when Kaa-san asks you to. With me, you don't. You say that it's too troublesome and so then I got to put the biggest-iggest smile I can musser on my face," here she stopped and grinned widely as if to demonstrate. "And then, sometimes if I'm lucky I get what I want but with Kaa-san, you _never_ say no. Do you love me?" she asked, staring at him.

He looked at the girl incredulously. "Of _course_ I love you. Don't you _ever_ think otherwise," he grabbed her and started tickling her. The air was filled with the sounds of her squealing and giggles as she gasped for air. "Now...do you think I don't love you?"

She shook her head and giggled again. He kissed the top of her head. "Good."

"But Tou-san!" she insisted. He sighed and looked at her. "How come you listen to her and not me? You always say everything's troublesome but you listen to her! Why?!"

_Oh my god! She's right. I'm whipped! I can't believe it. After all those freaking years of talking about my dad and now I'm whipped just like him! Oh my god!! How did this happe-_

"...u-san!!! Helloooo!!?" he blinked and his daughter's face appeared in front of his. She looked at him weirdly. Finally he sighed. "It's hard to explain, Noki-chan."

"Please try, Tou-san!" she said.

He sighed again and Inoki narrowed her eyes as 'troublesome' escaped his lips. "Okay, well, I only listen to you because you hypnotize me. That's the point of the game. You get to control me and my will. That's why it's called mind control.With your mom it's different. She doesn't have to _hynotize_ me because I'm already _mesmerized _by her."

"What's mes'mized mean?" she asked.

"Mesmerized means that I'm like...entranced. You know how hynotized means I'm being controlled?"

Inoki nodded. He continued, "Well, when I'm mesmerized, nobody's controlling me. I'm just...spellbound. Your mother and everything about her is mesmerizing- her smile, her eyes, her hair, when she's happy, when she's angry- just _everything_ sort of...takes me away...you know?"

Surprisingly, Inoki nodded. _Thank the lord she understood. For a 5-year-old, that's pretty good, _he thought as he sighed. "Now what do you want to play?"

"Um...how about Knights and Dragons!!" she said. "I'll be the princess and you be the dragon."

"Noki-chan, none of your friends are here so if I'm the dragon, there won't be any knight to rescue you," Shikamaru explained.

"No dragons tonight," Ino said, seeming to appear in front of them. "It's time for the princess to eat dinner because the _queen_ says so. And she also wants the dragon to turn back into her handsome king."

"Kaa-san," Inoki giggled, laughing at her 'silly' mom. "The dragon's not a king."

"Yes he is," Ino insisted. "See watch. I'll kiss him to turn him back into one."

"No, that's okay!" Inoki shouted, covering her eyes. Ino and Shikamaru laughed. "I'm going inside!"

"Wash your hands and get ready for dinner," Ino called after her.

"And don't forget to use soap this time! " Shikamaru added.

"Okay!" she called back before disappearing inside the house.

Ino turned to Shikamaru. "Mesmerizing, huh?"

He just mumbled in reply before pulling her into his arms and kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

"Kaa-san!! Tou-san!!! Come inside and eat!!" Inoki shouted from the doorway. "Stop kissing!"

The two broke apart and laughed as they walked down towards their house. Ino slipped her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. "I love you," she said quietly.

"I love you too."

**The End**

**Okay, just so you know, this was like ten times better before all my stupid files got deleted so I am really sorry. It would have been so much better. I don't really like it that much anymore.**


	17. I'll Trade You Skittles

**Wow, I made this around March but I never got around to finishing the very end. Oh well, hope you had a nice Halloween. There's slight Nejiten, Naruhina, and Sasusaku. Oh yeah and I don't own any candy or costumes mentioned in this. Well...I might own the candy...if I actually bought some mentioned but w/e! Read and review!**

**I'll Trade You Skittles**

"Trick or Treat"

That's how it all started. Shikamaru had lazily opened the door, a bowl of candy under his arm, when Ino shouted that in his face. He calmly looked her up and down. She was wearing a pale pink costume with pointy, wide ears on her head and a swirly, springy tail in the back. She was a, yup you guessed it, a kangaroo.

Syke no. She was a wombat, of course.

No, I'm just kidding again. She was a pig. She grinned and said that they were going trick or treating and Shikamaru had calmly looked around and stated that 'Chouji must be a ghost this year, huh?' She just laughed and walked past him into his house. It was then that he noticed the costume tucked under her arm. And now he was walking down the street, antlers on his head, a fluffy tail on his butt and a nose on his...nose. He also had a full-body costume like Ino. Not those bulky ones that make you sweat but the ones made of regular cloth.

"I have the perfect plan to get all the candy!" Ino said as she dug through her pouch...which is weird cause pigs don't have pouches. Or do they? That's kind of funny, a pig with a pouch and- Anyway, she found what she was looking for and looked up to see Shikamaru up the road. "Shikamaru! Get back here!"

Shikamaru tore his gaze from the sky and looked behind him to see Ino standing there impatiently. He walked backwards a few steps and joined her.

"Okay, so every year I always get candy from one part of town. I never get it from every house but this year is different. I mapped out the perfect course and I've figured out a way to get candy from everywhere. We will...HIT ALL OF KONOHA!!!!" Ino cheered. Six anbu immediately surrounded her.

"I meant...getting all the candy. Heh heh, it's just me. Ino," Ino inched towards Shikamaru and grabbed his arm. The anbu jumped away without a sound. Ino sighed in relief.

"Ino, I told you to stop saying stuff like that. We're in a ninja village for god's sake!!" Shikamaru scolded.

"Whatever! Anyway, look," He looked over her shoulder. "I've figured out that to get all the houses, we'll circle around the edges and slowly come closer to the center of Konoha which is, conveniently, where Tenten lives. The circled houses are-"

"The ones we go to?" Shikamaru asked hopefully.

"NO!!! Now shut up! Anyway, those are the ones we're not going to. They give out fruit and crap that nobody wants," Ino explained. "We're going to all the other houses. These T or T-"

"T or T?" Shikamaru questioned.

"Shut up!! T or T is Trick or Treat now shut up!!" Ino said. "Anyway, these T or T plans are foolproof! We'll be sure to get all the candy. Finally, this year I'll have some candy that'll actually last me a month." Shikamaru sweatdropped. "You got a pillowcase right?"

Shikamaru nodded and held up his pillowcase. She nodded in approval, "Good. You'll need it, traveling with me."

He rolled his eyes, "You're too serious about Halloween."

"Duh!! You know how much I love Halloween!!" Ino said. "It shouldn't be a surprise."

And with that, she walked away. Shikamaru stood there, thinking. She was right. She loved Halloween almost as much as Christmas and her birthday. Halloween was the one holiday when she didn't care about her weight and she wasn't dieting all the time. They kept walking. They soon arrived at Chouji's house. He was dressed as a Marshmallow.

"The candy's all gone. I kinda...ate it all," he said when they looked expectantly at him. He blew a big bubble that burst on his face. They rolled their eyes and walked on.

They soon came to Sakura's house. She had on furry hot pink ears and a tail that was the same color.

"Trick or treat!" Ino giggled, holding out her bag.

"I didn't know cats were pink," Shikamaru smirked. Sakura leaned against the door frame and looked at him.

"You want candy, say the line," she said.

He stared at her boredly, "Trick or troublesome."

Ino burst into a fit of giggles as Sakura stared at him. "Just take it," she said as she threw a candy bar into his bag. "I'll see you at the party, Ino-chan."

"Alright," Ino waved and they walked on.

On their way, they had met Naruto who was a fox and Kiba who was a werewolf. Now they were all walking together. They came to a house and a little boy opened the door.

"Trick or Treat!! Smell my feet! Give me something good to eat!! If you don't, I don't care!! I'll pull down your underwear!" Naruto sang loudly.

"Naruto," Kiba said, looking seriously at said boy. "I think it's "I'll pull out all your hair."

"Oh well," Naruto shrugged and smirked as he and Kiba faced the little boy. "I guess we'll have to do both!"

The boy stood rooted to his spot, eyes widened in fear. Ino rolled her eyes and bonked the two on the head, smiling at the little boy. "They're just kidding." The boy gave them their candy and they went on.

About two hours later, Ino and Shikamaru stood at the middle of Konoha. Kiba and Naruto were long gone, complaining that they were going to get more candy at Tenten's anyway and how their feet hurt. Ino grinned widely. "We did it!! We hit-"

"Got!" Shikamaru corrected. Ino rolled her eyes.

"_Got_ all the candy from Konoha!!" Ino said happily.

"I can't believe I actually walked over all of Konoha with you. Why did I even do it?" Shikamaru said.

"Cause you love me," Ino said matter-of-factly as she went up to Tenten's house.

Shikamaru didn't reply. It was true whether she was kidding or not. He joined her on the porch and Ino rang (rung?) the doorbell. Tenten answered, a smile on her face.

"Trick or Treat!" Ino said.

Tenten blinked, "Okay...trick!" She slammed the door on the both of them. Ino blinked while Shikamaru just rolled his eyes and rung (rang?) the doorbell again. Tenten answered again and Shikamaru just walked past her. Ino did too after sticking her tongue out at her.

Once inside, they saw Hinata there, dressed as a white bunny. Sasuke was there, dressed in Akatsuki robes and the two took a moment to briefly wonder where he got them from. Neji and Tenten were dressed as Indians (native Americans).

"Which one's Pocahontas?" Kiba snickered as everyone looked from Neji with his long, _beautiful_ hair to Tenten who actually let her hair down.

"Shut up Kiba!! You ass, boys had long hair too!!" Neji exclaimed. He looked at Tenten, "Right?" he asked worriedly. She nodded and smiled reassuringly.

Lee was there too, dressed as what he called an "unyouthful person". He was wearing baggy black jeans that were faded in the front. He also had a belt on holding them up and on it was a medium sized buckle spelling 'LEE' and hanging from a belt loop was a chain that attached to his pocket. His shirt was white and sleeveless with the word PASSION in black on the front with a green flame behind the word. Everyone wondered where he even got the clothes. His hair wasn't in his normal (horrible) haircut but instead just hung down spikily (even though that's not a word. lol).

Ino wanted to smack the idiot for calling the look unyouthful. His hair rivaled_ Sasuke's _for God's sake! It seemed that she didn't have to smack him because Tenten and Sakura did it for her.

"You delusional IDIOT!!!" Sakura screamed. "Are you on _crack_?! You would look absolutely _gorgeous_ if you didn't have the freakishly freaky eyebrows and under lashes!!"

"Let's not go _that_ far but she's right!!" Tenten said. "You'd look pretty damn good (though not as good as Neji) if you would just shave those damn caterpillars on steroids and cut off the under lashes."

"But this is unyouthful," Lee insisted.

"It says PASSION for God's sake!!" Naruto yelled out. "Isn't that one of the words you use when you're ranting about youth!?"

"Well...yes but it's still not youthful!" Lee said. "I-"

"Lee, I'm going to say this once and once only," Neji said. "Even if you copy off of Gai, you're not really youthful. How would he know what youth is anyway? He's _old_. Youthful is basically being yourself and looking good doing it. You're the most unyouthful person on our team right now because you don't have your own style. It may work for Gai (not) but it doesn't work for you. You're basically just a clone. You're youthful right now because you look good in the clothes you're wearing now. And NO Kiba and Naruto, I am NOT gay!!"

Kiba and Naruto grinned and shrugged. "You know us too well," Kiba said as he scratched the back of his head.

"..." It was silent as Lee retracted into his mind where he and his inner self argued about youth and what it really was.

"Wow..." Sasuke breathed. "You just destroyed his little world and all that he knew in less than five minutes."

"..." They all stared at Lee as he muttered things to himself in a corner.

"Sooo...CONGRATULATIONS!!!" Sasuke exclaimed.

"Thanks!!" Neji said happily.

The last person to come was Shino who was dressed in black. He replaced his old sunglasses with ones that were even darker if that was possible and more mysterious. He had a black jacket that basically looked like his green one except, again, more mysterious looking. It was open and he had a black shirt underneath the jacket. His hitai-ate was attached to his shirt's collar and hung down like a tie. He, seeming oblivious to everyone's stares, didn't seem to care when they asked him what he was. After much prodding (done by Lee, Naruto and Kiba), much begging (Tenten, Sakura, and Hinata), and much threatening (Ino, Sasuke, and Neji) they finally got an 'M' out of him.

"...hm," it was silent as they all thought about what the M could mean.

"Maybe it's the letter that his costume starts with...?" Sakura said.

"Oh!!! I got it!!" Naruto said. "**M**en in Black!!"

"...Oh...yeah," they all agreed that it was indeed that. They were all relieved that they would not have to always wonder what the answer was in the back of their minds and they were all very happy until Shikamaru decided to speak up, "**M**atrix" They all groaned.

After a while of talking and chatting, the room was soon quiet as they sat on the floor and spread their candy around them, the silence only occasionally disrupted by shouts of "Who has a -?" or "You want to trade?"

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called. Said boy looked at her. "Can I have your M&Ms? I really like them!"

Sasuke smiled at the look on her face and handed them to her. "Yay!!" she squealed and hugged him while his smile widened and he hugged her back. _Wow! M&Ms plus Sakura equals... hugs for Sasuke!! Yay for M&Ms!! Yay for chocolate!! _Sasuke cheered in his mind in a completely un-Sasuke-like way.

"Here Neji-kun, I know how much you like these! Think fast!!!" Tenten said as she threw a Snickers bar at Neji. He turned around and BAM!! It hit him dead in the face. "Oops. Heh heh, sorry."

"Hinata-chan!!" Naruto called. Hinata closed her mouth and looked over as she lowered the Twix bar she was about to bite. "Can I have that!?"

"Um...I already bit off of it Naruto-kun," Hinata said.

"That's okay!!" Naruto bounced over to her happily. "It's just like when I kiss you anyway, right?" he took a bite from it and plopped down next to her.

"Hey Shika-kun!" Shikamaru turned to a very hyper, loud blond and looked at her expectantly. "Do you have Skittles? I want Hinata's Starburst and she wants Skittles for it."

Shikamaru nodded and handed her a pack of Skittles.

"What do you want for it?" she asked.

"Um...just give me chocolate or something like that," he shrugged.

"Okay!!" She said happily. "I got the perfect thing. You can't look," she said as she turned around to get something.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling as she turned back around. She placed something in his hand and as he started to look back down, she pressed her lips against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, urging him to respond. He smiled and deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Their kiss, sadly, was interrupted by a shout.

"Get a room, would ya!!" Naruto yelled as Hinata giggled.

"My, my," Kiba howled. "I'd say _some_ people are hungry! ..._If_ you know what I mean," at this, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

He and Naruto high fived as the two broke their kiss reluctantly and embarrassedly, blushes on their faces. An hour later found all of them just laying around. Sasuke and Sakura were talking on a couch next to Neji and Tenten who were making out. Naruto was lying on the floor on his back groaning about how "my tummy hurts Hinata-chan! I ate too much candy." while Hinata rubbed his stomach soothingly and told him it would be okay.

Lee and Kiba were playing cards and Kiba said if he won, then Lee had to keep his new look for half a year and at the end, depending on others' reactions, would burn all his spandex suits and shave his eyebrows. Chouji was eating all his candy while Akamaru had taken up the noble sport of watching him devour everything, entranced by the thing called a mouth where so many things went in and nothing ever came out. Shino was standing in a corner, looking like a Man in Black impersonating Neo while eating a Kit Kat bar. Shikamaru was sitting on a couch eating a candy bar with Ino curled up in his lap, her head on his chest.

It was calm and quiet, just how he liked it, but for some reason, it wasn't exciting enough and so-

_Let's tease Ino,_ He thought.

Well, _that _always works, I guess. **-.-'**

"Hey Ino," Shikamaru said. She raised her head to look at him. "I never paid you back for the kiss you gave me."

Ino immediately became attentive, conveniently leaving out the fact that he had already given her Skittles.

"Yeah," he nodded at her eager look. "I will. I'll give you a kiss..." he trailed off as if thinking this over and she sat up completely as she stared at him. "And since you gave me...cookies and cream," he said for that's how she tasted, "I'll give you chocolate."

Ino hardly heard him anymore as she stared at his lips hungrily. She felt his arm tighten around her waist and closed her eyes in anticipation. She opened them again, though, when she didn't get the feeling of his lips on hers. "Shika?" she questioned, pouting slightly. He grinned and looked at her questioningly. She glared in response, "Why won't you kiss me!?"

Shikamaru just shrugged, "Say the magic words then?"

"Um…please?" Ino said. He shook his head.

"Shikamaru's a genius??"

"…"

"He's too sexy for his brain?"

"…" -.-

"Um…Who's your sexy oh? Go ahead, be troublesome?" She sang.

"…uh…no!"

"Shikamaru's the sexiest, hottest guy in the whole wide world?!" she shouted accidentally. Everyone in the room stared at her. She blushed and waved back. They looked at her weirdly and turned away.

"Who lives in Konoha, sleeps under the trees? Shi-ka-ma-ru!!" Ino sang in the tune of Spongebob.

Shikamaru just stared at her. "Um…you know what? Never mind."

"No! Please Shika?"

"Oh my god! What were you asking me when you gave me a kiss? Once you figure that out, you'll figure out the 'magic words'. Okay?" Shikamaru said. Oh yes, he was bored alright. He had to admit though, Ino looked extremely cute with that frustrated frown on her face.

"Um…" Ino put a finger to her chin. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. This would take a while, he decided.

It wasn't till he was walking her home and was on her front porch that she finally realized what he meant. Shikamaru was just starting to walk away when she grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, "Shika! I remember! I'll trade you skittles!" she said, excitedly. He smiled, "So where are they?"

"Shiiikaa-" she was cut off as he pressed his lips to hers, "So troublesome."

Needless to say, next Halloween Ino made sure to buy many, many Skittles.

**The End**

**Yes, very random, especially towards the end. I was seriously considering deleting this but then the efficient and logical (really just lazy) part of my brain reminded me that that would set me back one oneshot and then I'd have to think of a whole new one so…needless to say…this happened. Author's have their bad days. And as long as at least one person likes it, I won't care as much.**


	18. Seeing Stars

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Okay I know I know. I've been gone for like what? Two years? I've had a lot of drama and a load of…shall we say mishaps? And along the way, I sorta lost my interest in Naruto. I wasn't really a fan anymore so I couldn't really write. But they are the perfect characters in my opinion-although I have gone back and read all the Harry Potter books and am on a bit of a kick right now- so I couldn't just leave all my wonderful Naruto fics unwritten. But yes I know, it's no excuse. I'm a huge failure and disappointment!!!! Please forgive meee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now…

**(Wow I've never done one of these I don't think. Lol)**

_**Dedicated to**_**: Tomboy14 who has, unlike me, been writing for these two years. Still a Shikaino fan even with her other current obsessions. She's always reviewed my oneshots and I thank her cause looking back, they are kinda…corny and whatever. But thanks for sticking with them. Lol**

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**Seeing Stars**

"I think you hate me, Shikamaru," Ino stated. Shikamaru paused in taking out the final piece of the picnic and looked over at his fiancé. No words came because she was staring at him, completely serious. He smiled uncertainly. Surely, this was a joke right?

"And you smile!?!? Are you serious?!" She screamed, crossing her arms. Rather alarmed, he quickly attempted to hug her but she held up a flower warningly, "Don't touch me! I'll hit you!!"

"…with a flower?" he smirked, forgetting about her anger for a second and taking a moment to laugh. He immediately regretted that when she threw it at him.

"Ow!" Shikamaru rubbed his eye and then stared at Ino angrily.

"You won't be laughing when you find yourself beaten within an inch of your life in the morning! Now tell me why you hate me!"

"Why would I hate you!?! What are you talking about, crazy woman?!?"

"Damnit Shikamaru!" She pointed her finger to the sky and his eyes followed its path, "Your stupid clouds are blocking the stars!!"

"…"

"Oh I see, so you admit that-"

"That what?!?! I somehow gained the power to move clouds?? And why would I move them in front of the stars anyways?"

Her reply came instantly, "For not having sex the third time last night."

"…I see, so the real problem here is that you're insane…" he said musingly. "It all makes sense now…wielding flowers as weapons, going on about how I hate you…"

"Shika please!"

"Please what?!?"

"Please bring back my stars!"

He stared at her incredulously, "This is because of the expensive ice cream isn't it? Imported from Suna; it's _always_ Suna. God, I _knew_ there had to be a reason my dad said don't give it to you after midnight. I mean…of course _he_ would know, him being the most whipped person I've ever seen. Of course he'd have done something like this. He has experience and me, I don't know what the hell I'm getting into…"

Shikamaru rambled on and on with Ino's annoyance steadily growing.

"Shika…maru. Make. The. Clouds. Go. Away!" Ino exclaimed._ Only when your craziness goes away,_ he thought.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he said, trying to reason with her. "Seriously, that's like me making it snow. It's impossible."

"Anything's possible for a Possible."

"That's great…except I'm not Kim Possible. You know, maybe we should get you some sleep."

"That's a great idea Shika, now if you could just make those little cloud buddies of yours go a little to the east so then I can see the stars and then I will go to sleep, that would be greatly appreciated," she ended it with a bright smile. He sighed, _my future wife is on crack. This is the kind of thing you bring up on the first date. "Btw, I have an addiction to crack."_

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know. You're the king of clouds after all," she said matter-of-factly. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, waiting for some magic to happen.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru tried to weigh his options.

A. While her eyes were closed, he could silently and stealthily, RUN FOR HIS LIFE! But that could backfire because she knew where he lived, that place being the same place _she _lived. He could stay at- no she knew where Chouji lived, his parents, Naruto, Neji moved into an apartment with Tenten so Ino knew where they lived, Shino was creepy, Lee would clue her in just by yelling youthful nonsense about sleepovers filled with passion, and Sasuke had recently moved into the Uchiha manor (after tearing down every last bit of it and rebuilding his dream home for him and Sakura) and Kiba…Kiba was a jerk and would therefore tell Ino himself. Damnit, he'd have to face her wrath either way.

B. He could…knock her out. Just a quick jab to the back of the neck. He heard from a source (coughcoughSasukeCough) that it was highly effective and caused hardly any noise. Then next morning he could just lie. Of course, she wasn't drunk so there was a huge chance of her remembering what happened and he would therefore face that aforementioned wrath anyway. But it was a good idea even if he was banking it on the small chance she wouldn't remember.

C. He could wait for the sugar rush to buzz down. Then, a sane Ino and if she fell asleep, that was just a plus. She would wake up tomorrow and he would tell the truth and there wouldn't be any bruise on her neck to suggest otherwise…Con; it might take hours for that sugar rush to stop.

D. He could somehow make the waiting for C easier by humoring her and trying to make the clouds "go away." Then she would fall asleep and he wouldn't need to explain any mysterious bruises and he wouldn't have to face her wrath.

So it looked like he was going with D. But how…

"Well…maybe you could do a cloud dance…" Ino trailed off, putting a finger to her lips as she looked at the fluffy clouds as if asking 'what do you think?' The clouds didn't answer. The wind however did pick up and she took this as a sign. "I think they agree, Shika!" She said excitedly.

"…Wha…?" he got up, not knowing if he was just walking away or not but she quickly drove that out of his head. "I'll sing. Now start dancing!"

An hour later, the resilient clouds were still overhead and Shikamaru and Ino were now lying on the ground, panting heavily. "Damn, Ino why'd we have to do that retarded dance!?"

"I thought it would work…but…"

"Of course it wouldn't! Can we please go back home?"

"Not till I see stars."

"Fine! Close your eyes!"

"Wha…?"

"Just do it!" She did as told and Shikamaru pressed his lips to hers, slowly deepening it, pushing his tongue into her mouth and running it over everything. It then went to fight with hers. After about a minute, he separated from her, "Now…did you see stars?"

"…" She stared at him, realization dawning on her face. "Shikamaru…that has got to be the…dumbest thing I've ever heard all night!!" Shikamaru pouted, "I mean, me seeing stars?!? Just from you kissing me?? Ah…Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Shikamaru pouted as he mumbled, "I thought it was a good idea."'

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Okay I get it!!!"

"Oh…oh god," Ino wiped a tear from her eyes as Shikamaru glared at the stupid clouds. After this night, he never wanted to look at the stupid things again. "But now, back to the important matter…Shika. Please bring back my stars."

"I don't know what you wanted me to do woman! I brought you out here, we had a nice midnight picnic under the st- night sky! I got your favorite flavor of ice cream. I even made sure to get the low fat kind- bear in mind it came all the way from Suna…but that's never happening again. I'll make sure to write a complaint to that company, all this nonsense that** cursed **ice cream inspired in you…and then I try to be creative…I'll admit it was corny but you of all people always loved that mushy romantic crap and I get_ laughed_ at…and to _think _I went out," he carried on, rummaging in the basket for the final piece of the picnic that was _supposed_ to tie it all up before they went inside. "And bought you this beautiful…"

And he brought out a necklace that was indeed gorgeous. Ino gasped and gingerly took it from his hands. Upon further inspection, she realized it was a locket. On the front, engraved in dark sapphire against the silver, was a crescent that was cradled against one side of the locket. The rest was taken up with a few small bursts meant to be stars. She opened it up; one side of the locket was a picture of the two as teenagers. She recognized the picture from a festival, the festival they got together at. They were both dressed in kimonos and Shikamaru had a lazy smile while Ino seemed to be positively beaming as they held hands and posed for the picture. A soft smile played on her lips as she read the words on the other side.

_My_

_Best Friend,_

_Troublesome Girl,_

_Only Love_

"Nara Shikamaru…" She scolded teasingly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "If you had just told me this in the _beginning_…" He rolled his eyes and placed a kiss on her lips before kissing down her jaw line and to her neck. "I love you," he murmured, hugging her closer.

"I love you too!" she said bringing his head closer to trap him in another slow kiss.

"And now, for my sake, do you see goddamn stars?!?" he said abruptly, pointing at them on the front of the locket just in case she forgot. She glared at him, "You just ruined the moment."

"Oh jeez, like you didn't ruin this whole picnic," he said.

Ino glared at him, clearly affronted. She then frowned and crossed her arms, turning away from him, though she didn't get off his lap, "Just for that, we're not leaving until I see some REAL stars!!"

"Ughhhhh!!!" He threw up his hands in frustration. "I'm taking back the necklace then! Since you're so interested in those REAL stars. Why would you care about the ones on the necklace, right?"

"You idiot, you can't take it back, it's custom-made!"

"And how would you know?"

"It has_ troublesome girl engraved_ it. No one calls anyone 'troublesome girl', especially affectionately!"

"Plenty of people do."

"Not sane people. Not people with even a _drop_ of romance or charm in them."

"Oh so now you're insulting my romance. Fine I won't call you troublesome girl anymore. I can tell you don't like the nickname. Though, you didn't mind it last night when I had you whimpering at the slightest touch," he said proudly.

She flushed bright red and Shikamaru took a moment to congratulate himself on getting her to do so, "Th-that's cause you just- y-you have a v-ery seductive- ugh!!! Shut. UP!!"

"Even now when we're fully clothed and barely touching, I can reduce you to stuttering," a smug smile appeared on his face as he egged her on. She drove her elbow behind her into his rib cage and smiled delightedly when she heard his gasp and grunt of pain.

"The _point_…is that you can't take it back and really," she turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. "You wouldn't do iot anyway. I surely wouldn't give it back. Now be a dear and help me put it on."

It was quiet except for his mutterings as he fumbled with the tiny clasp in the near darkness. She held up her hair with her hands and smiled as she felt the cool necklace slide across her chest and around her neck. She gasped quietly as his hands brushed across the back of her neck. She frowned; he was probably doing it on purpose, trying to get her wound up, knowing how sensitive she was there. She felt his hands leave her neck and a second later they were holding hers. She sighed and leaned her head back, content to stay like that all night. Shikamaru however had other plans.

"Can we please go home yet?" She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes you big baby, we can go home and see daddy."

He frowned and opened his mouth to retort but she got up and gave him a look which told him clearly to drop it. After clearing everything away and putting the blanket back in the basket, they walked out of the field and back to their house. Ino yawned widely and placed her head on Shikamaru's shoulder and took hold of his hand.

"Shika…" she mumbled. "I'm tired."

"I guess so, trying to see the stars all night," he complained, glancing down at face and smirking as he saw her eyes were half closed. He stopped and tugged her hand so she would stop, then stooped and pulled her onto his back. "Staying up till you can hardly walk; you knew I'd carry you. _This_ was your evil plan all along."

She yawned again and smiled cheerfully, "You caught me. I'm an evil piggy-back ride stealing thief."

"Troublesome girl."

"…I love it when you call me that," she murmured into his ear as though it was a secret. She smiled lazily and closed her eyes.

"Aha I knew it!!"

"Of course you knew it. Now shut up and kiss me."

He complied willingly and turned his head to the side to meet hers. She gazed down at the locket yet again and whispered, "The stars really are lovely tonight."

He rolled his eyes, "Troublesome girl."

* * *

**Whoa longer than I expected and better than I expected. It was supposed to be mild crack induced by tiredness and at first it was but then it got fluffy and behold!!!!! I actually really like it. So if you would be so kind as to tell me what YOU thought. That'd be wonderful. :D**

**Btw if anyone has a better title for this oneshot, it would be appreciated.**


	19. New Year's Eve

**Happy New Year!! It's well into 2010 by now but I'm up and lateness always inspires me so I'm hoping I'll have it finished before I go to bed.**

**New Year's Eve**

"Five!"

He looked across the room just as she glanced in his direction. She offered a small smile and he smiled back and felt like crap.

"Four!"

He nursed his drink and glanced around, looking for something to do…another New Year. Whoooo…

"_Three!!_"

He watched as Ino chatted with Sakura and Temari. She looked happy and yet…not. He imagined that's how he looked too. Tenten, who had been standing next to Hinata, quickly excused herself and approached Neji…

"**Two!!**"

Neji turned and stared down at her and Shikamaru watched as they had a conversation in low tones, Tenten looking down a lot and blushing. Neji gently cupped her chin in his hand and spoke something that seemed to brighten her day. Shikamaru knew what was coming; something similar happened last year between him and Ino but now it was all a distant memory…how things changed…and why the hell wouldn't this second end?!

"_**ONE!!!!!**_" Everyone cheered and Kiba and Naruto blew tons of confetti in the air, seemingly out of nowhere. "_**Happy New Year!!**_"

Shikamaru sipped his drink, glanced over to Neji and Tenten who (he guessed right) were now engaged in a passionate kiss, and decided that this atmosphere was really just too happy for him. "Screw it," he muttered, tossing his cup in the trash as he walked out the door.

**Flashback Attack!!**

…_**1 year ago…**_

"_I know it's going to sound corny…but my resolution this year was to show you how much you mean to me…" Shikamaru mumbled. Ino was smiling softly at him, a small blush staining her cheeks._

"…_And how much is that?" she wondered teasingly. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "A lot…it's not something I can do in one day. I just want to improve…"_

_They kissed as on the TV, the ball dropped._

…_**7 months ago…**_

"_Shikamaru…this isn't…" Ino trailed off, shaking her head and wiping a stray tear out of her face. "You and me- we're not…I don't want to be together."_

"_What?! …Ino- tell me…I'm sorry, I'm just…" he was frustrated, with himself, with her, with everything. "What's the problem? What did I do?"_

_She shook her head and looked at him, wishing he'd understand, "It's what you didn't do…what you never do…last year- never mind. I don't…I can't talk about this…"_

"_Ino!" he reached out as she stood up from her seat across him. She ignored him and left money on the table and he numbly fell back into his seat._

…_**6 months ago…**_

"_What I'm trying to understand is why you just let her walk away?!?" Chouji exclaimed, shaking his head at the blank stare he received. "Do you even know what you did wrong?!"_

"…" _he took the silence as a no._

"_And you're not even trying to figure it out! You're an ass Shikamaru," Chouji slapped his friend who barely reacted and then got up, disgusted. "Stop wallowing in your own pity and do something. Put some effort into it if you want her back. __**Show**__ her how you feel!"_

…_**5 months ago…**_

"_Ino!!" he hadn't seen her for 2 months. They'd been so busy and he was just happy to finally get a glimpse of her. He watched her debate whether or not to talk to him. Finally she turned and smiled hesitantly. "Ino…I'm glad I caught you. I need to talk to you."_

_She smiled, more warmly this time and relaxed as he began to talk._

"_I've realized that I really need you in my life," he said. Her jaw dropped just a bit and she started to say something but he continued. "If you don't want to be together…I'm fine with that…but you're my best friend. I don't want us to stop talking."_

_Her smile dropped instantly. "Uh…sure."_

"_Really?" She nodded and turned halfway, "So I'll see you around then…?"_

"_Yeah…definitely," he smiled, not noticing the sad look on her face. "Bye."_

…_**3 weeks ago…**_

"_New Year's Eve party at Sasuke's place!" Naruto announced. The dark-haired ninja slapped his friend but didn't contradict the statement._

_The whole Konoha 12 was there, at their favorite bar, just relaxing when Naruto made that announcement. Instantly, it set off a bunch of different conversations._

"_My New Year's resolution will be to get Temari. In the year of 2010, she will be mine," Kiba announced, grinning widely as he and Naruto high-fived. It was well known that Kiba and Temari had a flirty friendship. Kiba was always hinting, joking and teasing so when he did ask her out, she never thought he was serious. But this year he'd show her._

"_Good luck Kiba!!" Lee cheered enthusiastically, throwing a fist in the air. "Maybe you should follow his example, Shikamaru."_

_It instantly became awkward as Shikamaru glared down at the tabletop, his fist clenching tightly. He glanced across the group to Ino who was staring at him, almost waiting it seemed…_

_But he immediately plastered a blank look on his face, pushed away from the table and stalked out of the bar, completely missing the crushed expression that flitted across her face._

…_**1 day ago…**_

_This day, Shikamaru decided to immerse himself in thoughts, recollections and contemplations of this past year. He guessed in the back of his mind, he had always sort of known. Deep down in his subconscious, he knew it had something to do with that night- New Year's Eve._

_Ino had hinted at it, saying "…what you never do…last year-"_

_He still wasn't exactly sure what happened and he knew he should've talked to her about it but he always backed out. He didn't know how to start, how to keep going, how to finish. He just didn't know. He was afraid, afraid it wouldn't matter and she would just reject him again…But Chouji had gotten him off his ass. Shikamaru would talk to her…that is, until he saw her talking with some other guy and immediately assumed the worst._

'_So in the end…it really was too late,' he sighed, turned off the lights and slouched off to bed._

_His New Year's resolution this year would be to get over Ino._

**End Flashbacks**

The cool air hit him and he realized this was by far the worst party of his life and on top of that, the worst start to a new year.

Meanwhile, inside as the confetti fell everywhere, Ino glanced over to where Shikamaru was standing but he was no longer looking at her. He looked upset and distracted and, as she watched, he walked slowly out of the house, shutting the door quietly behind him. She quickly glanced at Sakura, who was busy talking about Kiba to Temari, and then slipped out of the door after Shikamaru.

Ino glanced around before noticing a lonely figure walking away- Shikamaru. She hurried to catch up. As she came closer, she caught hold of his arm and tugged until he turned around.

"Can we talk?" she asked uncertainly. She glanced away, staring at the snow as it swirled down to the ground. He cleared his throat, "Sure…"

They walked on in an uncomfortable silence until he just blurted out the first thing he could think of, "So what was your resolution?"

She took a while deliberating on whether or not to answer before rattling off a list, "To get stronger, to be a better ninja, to finally be allowed to learn the secret nin jutsu from my dad, to have an overall better attitude, to get over you…"

"Wait- but…I thought…get over me?" he asked, shocked. "I didn't think…"

"You never seem to," she added quietly though he heard it anyway. He stared at her, clearly stunned.

"…If…if you're still not over me…" he inhaled, trying to make sense of the jumble in his mind; a shaky breath was all he managed. "I don't understand, Ino."

Shikamaru stared at her, an almost pleading look gracing his face. "I mean…does this mean that…you lo-"

Ino turned away then, staring at something he couldn't see. "…It means…you're not as easy to get over as I thought…"

"But I…lo-" he choked. "Why would you…if you lov- why?"

"Do you remember your resolution?" she asked. He nodded, "Sure…"

"Do you really…do you remember your resolution?" she said sharply, her eyes piercing his.

He winced and decided to demonstrate his memory, "I said I would show you how much you meant to me…and how it couldn't be done in just one night. I wanted to show you how I felt…how much I loved you…"

Ino nodded, satisfied in his answer, "Shikamaru…I can count on one hand how many times you've actually said that to me, including tonight. After that resolution (and you sounded so serious, so sincere) what'd you **expect** me to think? You said you'd show me…but you never changed. You never acted any differently around me. I was the same as I'd always been to you, there was no effort. Everything was still troublesome, still seemingly…unworthy of your…anything! Any feeling really. You said you'd _show_ me…I just assumed that you _were_ showing me, that that's how you felt about me. So I gave up. If you didn't care about me, why should I waste my time?"

He wanted her to always waste her time if it was on him but that was selfish. So he didn't say anything. She nodded, expecting that. After all, he never said anything. She turned to go back to the party but he grabbed her arm, just as she did to him and swung her around.

"Ino I…love you," Shikamaru stated, his voice so covered in passion, she was taken aback. "So much…and these past few months have been **Hell**. I'm sorry…about everything. You're right, I didn't put effort in. I never went out of my way, out of my comfort zone, for you. I stayed in my boundaries and never made you feel important and I should've! I should've written your name in the sky, I should've done…everything! It's what you deserve, it's what you mean. And I should've showed you. I should've…Ino…"

During his rant, he had become increasingly closer and now he was inches away. Ino stared up at him as he took in a deep breath and placed his hand on her cheek. She leaned into it unconsciously and he closed the distance, his lips fervent against hers. Ino separated from him- a bit reluctantly, he thought- and for a moment, she just stared in awe at him.

"…you don't know how much I missed that…how much I missed you," he confessed, his hand lightly brushing a strand of hair out of her face. And he pulled her into his chest, just holding her.

"I'm sorry."

"I…" she drew in a shaky breath and her voice came out a little less wobbly as she continued, "I forgive you Shikamaru…"

"That's good…" he said. "Because I don't think after that kiss, I could've even gone through with my New Year's resolution if you didn't forgive me."

"And what was yours?" she arched a brow and he smiled sheepishly, "To get over _you_."

"…" Ino considered this before answering. "I'm glad then too."

"Do you want to hear my new one?" he asked, smiling up at the sky as they walked back to the party.

"Sure," she said, hesitantly taking his hand in hers.

"My New Year's resolution is to let everyone know how much I love you," Shikamaru said proudly. She smiled as he continued, "And to tell you how much you mean to me every day…no matter what. We could be in a huge fight and, right before you stormed away, I'd still say I love you. Even if you dragged me on a shopping spree…even if I couldn't watch clouds or take a nap…even if you stabbed me and left me for dead."

"Okay okay!" she said, laughing.

He tugged at her hand until she looked at him, "Even if you broke up with me again…"

She was just as serious when she answered, "I won't…as long as you just _show_ me…"

**The End**

**Ugh ugh UGH!!!! Tell me how horrible that ending is!!!! I really could not end it! I feel horrible. I gnash my teeth just looking at that. But okay if you like the rest of the story, do tell. :) Hope you had a Happy New Year and I did not finish this on the day I wanted because today...or better yet yesterday, I went to a concert with my cousins sooo....yeah it's about 3:30am on Jan _2nd_ anf I'm a bit late but review! Tell me if it was good.**


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